Mayor Michelle Wu on Wednesday named former Boston Police Superintendent Michael Cox to head the department starting next month.
His selection marks the beginning of a new chapter in Boston’s police-community relations as Wu begins working to fulfill her campaign agenda of bringing more accountability and transparency to the department, reducing policing costs, and diverting certain traffic and mental health functions away from the police’s purview.
Cox, 57, returns to his hometown after serving a three-year stint as Chief of the Ann Arbor, Michigan Police Department and faces a constellation of expectations from his new boss the mayor, his new colleagues within the department and the public.
Here are five things to know about him as he steps into the role of BPD commissioner.
He stayed in the law enforcement field despite a notorious incident where he was beaten by fellow officers
Even though Cox suffered through an attack by fellow officers who mistook him for a murder suspect in 1995, the new commissioner noted that he remained on the force because he believes in the mission of policing. Cox brought a civil lawsuit against the department, but eventually settled.
None of his colleagues faced criminal charges over the incident of what he describes as “unconstitutional policing.”
“The reality is, I was a victim of that, but that's not who I am," he told reporters Wednesday.
“I spent 24 years in the Boston Police Department after that incident, and in that time, I've gone to school multiple times and, got multiple degrees, focused a lot of concern and effort around making the police department better so we can serve the public in ways that are make us more effective and efficient.”
He is the subject of a book
Richard Lehr, Boston University journalism professor and former Boston Globe writer, penned “The Fence: A Police Cover-up Along Boston's Racial Divide.” The book is a work of investigative journalism that explores the aftermath of the 1995 incident.
He generally supports police reforms to foster community confidence
Cox said he supports the force taking steps like being more responsive to community criticism and fostering an internal culture that doesn’t obscure scandals.
The commissioner also expressed support for diversifying the BPD, a concept that the Massachusetts Association of Minority Law Enforcement Officers said they look forward to collaborating with Cox on.
“MAMLEO is eager to work in partnership with Commissioner Cox, as we collectively continue to champion much needed specific to both the hiring and promotional/advancement opportunities of minority officers at the BPD and the inclusive and accountability culture both internal and external to the department,” the organization said in a statement.
Cox did not offer any specific ideas for achieving this goal, but said it would be among his priorities.
He does not support defunding, though
The 30-year law enforcement veteran said even though he supported improving policing, the idea of “defunding,” as some advocates called for during 2020 protests over racism and police brutality, runs counter to how most other public improvements generally work.
"So, at a time when the public, rightly so, [has a] higher expectation as far as our service that we provide ... it's the exact same time that people seem to be asking for us to have less resources,” he said. "Show me a scenario where there's an institution anywhere in the world where it gets better when you don't fund it," he said.
The issue goes hand-in-hand with recent complaints of understaffing from the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association. Larry Calderone, the union’s president said Cox represents “a breath of fresh air” for the department. But, Calderone added, Cox will have to address their concerns over unmet minimum staffing levels that force officer to work back-to-back shifts on event-filled weekends.
“No other profession expects their employees to work 24 hours straight. Why would police officers be considered or treated any differently?” Calderone said in an interview with GBH News Wednesday.
Cox has yet to comment on adding more officers to the force.
He has a son who used to play for the New York Giants
His eldest son, Michael Cox Jr., played briefly for the New York Giants!
The mayor's office says Cox will begin his work with the Boston Police Department Aug. 15.
