Boston Police Commissioner Bill Evans is calling on Boston City Councilor and mayoral candidate Tito Jackson to stop politicizing his department. “I’m fearful that [he is] creating this antagonistic attitude,” said Evans when he joined Jim Braude on Greater Boston. “I don’t want to see the rift between us and the community.”
Evans was responding to a string of criticism from Jackson, including the Boston Police Department’s crime solve rates and, more recently, claims that Evans released “controversial details” in the shooting death of a 6-year-old boy in Roxbury—meaning the criminal history of the boy’s father, who Evans said told police he was likely the target.
“I do it every time,” said Evans. “I don’t want people having fear in their neighborhoods…. there’s a reason that I am saying that and I wouldn’t say it unless I have absolute proof.”
Regarding Jackson’s criticisms over low crime solve rates within the department, Evans responded, “It’s not from lack of effort… it’s from lack of cooperation.”
“I hate to see that negativity over the politics of this race,” he said, referring to Jackson’s mayoral bid. “We have to work together with the community. I don’t like this us versus them because we’re all in this together to make the community safe.”
Evans also found himself at the center of controversy when USA Today published a quote that he gave to the Marshall Project about diversity in the police department. “Obviously, it’s a tough job for a minority. They are in a community that really doesn’t like them. And they think they are a sellout, you know, ‘Uncle Toms,’” Evans was quoted as saying.
Asked whether he should apologize, Evans responded, “Absolutely not.” He cited information he’s received from Superintendent-In-Chief William Gross, who is African American, as well as other officers who have talked to him about similar issues. “I’ve been in policing 32 years. I’ve read quite a bit on the troubles with hiring minority officers,” Evans said, “if you read magazines, if you read the history of why officers don’t want to come on, they use those words and that terminology verbatim.”
Evans also weighed in on a Saturday Night Live skit that got a lot of attention here in Boston when comedian Michael Che called it “the most racist city [he has] ever been to.”
“I see the city as a united city,” said Evans. “We’re not perfect, but as I go around the city, the relationships with the police and community are great…. I think we’ve come a long way… so I was a little disappointed with that.”
