William Gross Got 'No Sleep' Before His First Marathon As Police Commissioner

gross DSC_7027.jpg — Boston Police Commissioner William Gross takes calls on the “Ask the Commssioner” segement of WGBH News’ Boston Public Radio with Jim Braude and Margery Egan on January 18, 2019.

Amanda McGowan is a producer for Boston Public Radio.

April 15, 2019

Updated April 16, 2019

Boston Police Commissioner William Gross said he got "no sleep" before his first Boston Marathon as the leader of the city's police department.

"I got no sleep last night," he told Boston Public Radio Monday, discussing how his department prepared for the marathon over the last year. "I was reading the op plans and couldn't go to sleep, I'm up, I'm talking to commanders, we're texting each other."

Gross joined hosts Jim Braude and Margery Eagan live from the WGBH Studio at the Boston Public Library, which is just yards away from the Marathon's finish line. Gross succeeded former Commissioner William Evans last summer.

Gross cited the memory of the 2013 Marathon bombing and its victims as motivation.

"It just motivates all of us to make sure we let everyone know, especially the victims and their families ... that their lives were not taken for granted," he said. "Their spirit lives on through us, and we're going to make this the best race and the best event possible."