BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Michael Cox has been introduced as Boston's new Police Commissioner.
Mayor Michelle Wu held a press conference Wednesday, speaking in Roxbury alongside the man who will now take the helm at the Boston Police Department.
Cox said he considers this a homecoming. A Boston native, Cox served on the force for 18 years before moving to lead the police department in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He's now returning to a department that's been rocked by leadership shake-ups and scandals. Former Commissioner Dennis White was removed after just two days on the job last year, after allegations of domestic abuse surfaced. A judge recently threw out most of those abuse claims.
In 1995, Cox was working undercover in the BPD gang unit, when fellow officers beat him unconscious, mistaking the then-Boston Police Superintendent for a murder suspect. Those officers tried to cover up the beating for years, but Cox eventually sued and won.
Suffolk County D.A. Kevin Hayden put out a statement congratulating Cox, saying "His record of service is exemplary, and I’m grateful to have him as a partner in efforts to improve safety and wellbeing across Boston’s neighborhoods. The journey of Michael Cox from being beaten by fellow Boston Police officers to his appointment as Commissioner of the Boston Police Department is emblematic of criminal legal reform. I’m grateful to have such a strong partner in building a safer, more equitable Boston."
WBZ NewsRadio's Karyn Regal (@KarynRegal) was at the press conference Wednesday. Listen to WBZ NewsRadio live for the latest on this story:
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