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Evans Formally Named Boston Police Commissioner

Police Commissioner William Evans, right, applauds during Mayor Marty Walsh's inaugural address. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
Police Commissioner William Evans, right, applauds during Mayor Marty Walsh's inaugural address. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

William Evans, a 31-year department veteran, is Boston's new police commissioner.

Evans was formally appointed by Mayor Marty Walsh Thursday after the news was disclosed by Walsh Tuesday.

Evans has served as interim commissioner since November, when former Commissioner Ed Davis stepped down. Evans' brother, Paul Evans, was also a Boston police commissioner.

Walsh noted William Evans' leadership roles responding to the Boston Marathon bombing and Occupy Boston protest.

At a news conference Thursday, Evans said his connections to the community will help him work to continue to reduce violence across the city.

"We sat with the victims who lost loved ones to homicide violence the other day," he said, "and it couldn't be more clear what our role is going to be when it comes to reducing violence in the neighborhood."

Walsh also appointed William Gross as superintendent-in-chief — second in command on the Boston force.

Gross is now the department's highest-ranking African-American police officer ever.

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