Outgoing Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans says he originally denied claims that he was moving on to a new post at Boston College because he was afraid to “jeopardize the opportunity” in its early stages.
In a report in late June, WBZ reported that Evans would be leaving his job for a new post heading the Boston College Police Department, citing unnamed sources.
Evans vehemently denied the rumors. “I hate these rumors,” Evans said to reporters at a press conference, “they’re not true.”
Mayor Marty Walsh quickly followed up with his own denial to the Boston Herald, “he’s the police commissioner,” dismissing any truth to the speculation.
Less than a month later, Evans announced he would indeed be stepping down and would be replaced by Superintendent Chief of Police William Gross, who will, as of August 4, be the city’s first African-American chief of police.
In his last Ask The Commissioner monthly segment on Boston Public Radio, Evans said he adamantly denied the “rumors” out of fear of losing his position.
“It was just in its infancy stage, and we didn’t know what was going to happen at the end of the process,” Evans said. “They were doing a search, and they interviewed a bunch of people, so it was in its infancy, and I worried almost like [that] it was going to jeopardize the opportunity.”
“[WBZ] jumped the gun on us a little bit, because of the whole talks and dealing with the whole contract,” Evans continued, “none of that was finalized at the time.”
With 38 years in law enforcement under his belt, Evans will officially retire from his position on August 3 and take up a job as the executive director of public safety and chief of police at Boston College, beginning August 6.
To hear his full interview with Boston Public Radio, click on the audio player above.
