FORMER COP MICHAEL COX, ONCE BEATEN BY COLLEAGUES, NAMED BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER
The new police commissioner in the city is a former police officer from Boston who was assaulted by his coworkers after they mistook him for a suspect.
Michael Cox, 57, was unveiled by Boston Mayor Michelle Wu on Wednesday as the next Commissioner of the city's police force. Cox returns to his hometown, where he worked in a variety of capacities until departing in 2019 to take the top law enforcement position in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The introduction, according to Cox, was "an emotional time" for him. He committed to ensuring that officers feel supported in their work while working to diversify the police force.
"This is a very exciting time, in my opinion. According to me, the officers need support," Cox told reporters on Wednesday. And I'll be their biggest supporter, she added.
Cox, a Boston police officer since 1989, worked his way up the ranks to join the command staff and oversaw a number of divisions inside the force. Cox was serving in a plainclothes unit in January 1995 when other police attacked him badly because they believed he was a suspect in a fatal shooting.
For Dick Lehr's book on the beating, The Fence: A Police Cover-Up Along Boston's Racial Divide, Cox admitted to Lehr that "It was shameful what happened to me." There is no justification for such treatment of anyone. after which to simply leave them. If they got away with it, would they do it to someone else if they did it to me—another police officer?
Cox stated that the cops afterwards attempted to hide it, but he claimed he made the decision to remain in the department and work to make things better.
Since that time, in 1995, I have devoted my life to ensuring that the Boston Police Department and policing in general have developed and learned...
Cox spoke to reporters on Wednesday and said, "We want to make sure that we have processes and mechanisms in place to make sure that we never repeat that kind of occurrence against anyone.
Dennis White, who was ousted last year after allegations of domestic abuse against him from 1999 surfaced, is replaced by Cox. Just days after taking the post, White was put on leave despite his denial of the accusations.
Cox is the fourth Black police commissioner in major Northeast cities, following New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw, and Newark (NJ) Police Chief Darnell Henry.
