TO TAKE ON THIS COMMAND.
I’M PROUD TO APPOINT BOSTON’S FIRST AFRICAN-AMERICAN POLICE COMMISSIONER.
THIS MEANS A LOT TO THE CITY AND SYMBOLIZES PROGRESS.
IT HAS CONCRETE POSITIVE IMPACT.
HE IS A LEADER IN OUR COMMUNITIES.
HE BRINGS WITH HIM A LIFETIME OF TRUST AND UNDERSTANDING.
HE IS SOMEONE PEOPLE TURN TO FOR HELP AND ADVICE.
HE IS THE RIGHT PERSON AT THE RIGHT TIME FOR THIS JOB.
I ASKED HIM TO COME TO THE MICROPHONE.
[APPLAUSE] >> GOOD MORNING, EVERYONE.
WOW.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THE MAYOR.
WHAT AN HONOR IT HAS BEEN TO WORK WITH YOU OVER ALL THESE YEARS.
THIS IS A MAN FROM THE COMMUNITY.
HE GETS IT.
WE GO BACK MANY YEARS.
SOME OF THOSE YEARS WE WON’T DISCUSS.
[LAUGHTER] WE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS AS WELL.
ONE THING THAT RESONATES WITH ALL THREE OF US IS THAT THE COMMUNITY HELP TO RAISE US.
THE MAYOR HAS BEEN A GREAT LEADER.
AS I GO ACROSS THE COUNTRY PEOPLE OFTEN ASK, HOW DO WE DO IT YET -- IT?
HOW DO WE DO WHAT WE DO IN BOSTON.
WE DO THAT HAVING FORWARD THINKING LEADERS LIKE MAYOR WALSH.
I APPRECIATE THE CONFIDENCE THAT YOU HAVE IN ME FOR ME TO TAKE THE NEXT STEP IN MY CAREER.
AS THE BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TRUST AND LEADERSHIP.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR GUIDANCE.
HE IS A TRUE BROTHER TO ME.
A LITTLE OLDER, BUT A TRUE BROTHER.
I THINK BOSTON IS ONE OF THE BEST CITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
I THINK IT IS THE BEST CITY.
COMMISSIONER EVANS, HE CAME ON THE JOB FOR ME.
WE HAVE THINGS IN COMMON.
HE WAS A BOSTON POLICE CADET, I WAS IN BOSTON POLICE CADET.
HE WORKED FOR HIS BROTHER, I WORKED FOR HIS BROTHER.
>> IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES.
THE THING IS, THE POLICE COMMISSIONER UNDERSTANDS THE COMMUNITY.
HE LOST BOTH PARENTS BY THE TIME HE WAS 14 AND WAS RAISED BY HIS BROTHERS AND THE COMMUNITY.
HE TOOK THAT LEADERSHIP STYLE -- TO THE LEADERSHIP STYLE HE APPLIED BEING THE BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER.
HE ENSURED THAT IT RESONATED THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE DEPARTMENT.
FOR ME AND THROUGH A BRILLIANT COMMAND STAFF WHICH WAS THE MOST DIVERSIFIED AND QUALIFIED COMMAND STAFF APPOINTED BY MAYOR WALSH.
WE GET COMMUNITY POLICING.
HE HAS BEEN A GREAT BIG BROTHER TO ME AS WELL.
AND A GREAT LEADER.
I HAVE LEARNED SO MUCH FROM YOU.
THANK YOU.
I KNOW HE HAD INPUT IN THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS SO I THINK HIM AS WELL FOR HIS BOAT OF CONFIDENCE IN THE NEXT LEVEL.
NOW TO THE REAL GOOD STUFF.
MY MOM IS GIVING ME THE LOOK.
I TOLD HER I WAS GETTING A NATIONAL COMMUNITY POLICING AWARD TODAY.
I DIDN’T TELL HER ANYTHING.
I WENT THROUGH TO EVERYONE.
I DIDN’T, SISTER EITHER.
I SAID I’M GETTING AN AWARD.
FOLKS, MY FAMILY, I COULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS WITHOUT THEM.
MY MOTHER, MY SISTER, MY SISTER WAS NOT HERE AND MY GIRLFRIEND WHO PUTS UP WITH ME.
[APPLAUSE] LIKE THE COMMISSIONER OF ALLUDED TO WE ALSO HAVE A WORK-FAMILY.
WHEN WE TALK WHAT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT BOTH SWORN AND CIVILIAN, THEY ARE FAMILY.
WE ARE THE FIRST POLICE DEPARTMENT IN THIS NATION.
WE STARTED IN 1630.
I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK MISS LAURA DICKERSON AND THE TEACHER WHO HAS WORKED AT THE OVER 4.5 YEARS TO HAVE MY BACK TO MAKE SURE I STAY ON POINT.
THEY BOTH HAVE MY MOTHER’S NUMBER.
YOU KNOW HOW THAT GOES.
IT IS GOING TO HELP ME SEGUE INTO WHAT I’M GOING TO TALK ABOUT NEXT.
THIS LADY FROM THE TOUGH STREETS OF BALTIMORE FOUND HER WAY TO BOSTON WHERE SHE RACED THREE KIDS.
OLDER SISTER YOUNGER SISTER, THE ANGEL.
SHE DID THIS, SINGLE-PARENT FAMILY.
I NEVER GREW WERY OF SAYING I WAS RAISED BY MY PARENTS.
THE DEFINITION OF THAT IS THE OTHER PARENT WAS THE COMMUNITY.
VIETNAM VETS TEACHERS, COACHES, GOOD AND BAD FROM THE COMMUNITY.
THAT IS WHO HELPED RAISE ME.
THIS IS WHAT WE LOVE ABOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON.
WE ARE THE NUMBER ONE COMMUNITY POLICING MODEL IN THE COUNTRY.
YOU HEARD THE POSITIVE STAFF THE COMMISSIONER WAS TOUTING.
THAT WAS ALL OF US.
BOSTON WAS THE BEST VILLAGE IN THE COUNTRY.
WE ARE THE HUB OF THE UNIVERSE.
THE COUNTRY STARTED FROM HERE.
WOMEN LIKE MY MOTHER WHO ARE REINFORCED BY THE COMMUNITY, WE CAN DO THAT FOR EVERY FAMILY IN BOSTON.
ONE HOMICIDE IS TOO MUCH.
ONE SENSELESS ACT OF VIOLENCE IS TOO MUCH.
WE CAN DO IT.
WE’RE GOING TO WALK TOWARDS EACH OTHER SO WE CAN STEP FORWARD AND OVERCOME ANY OBSTACLE WE FACE IN THE CITY.
THIS IS MY SINCERE THANKS TO THE COMMUNITY FOR HELPING TO RAISE ME AND GUIDE ME AND MENTOR ME.
I’M GOING TO CLOSE THIS SOON BECAUSE LAURA IS GOING TO GIVE ME THAT FLASH CARD IN A MINUTE.
I AND SO OVERWHELMED WITH THE MOTIONS OF PRIDE.
I AM JUST GRATEFUL.
I WOULD BE REMISS IF I DID NOT MENTION MY BROTHERS ND SISTERS IN BLUE.
BOTH SWORN AND CIVILIAN.
THEY WORKED TIRELESSLY.
THEY GET IT.
I DON’T WANT TO BE REDUNDANT.
YOU HEARD WHAT THEY DO DAY IN AND DAY OUT.
I AM A TRUE STREET COP.
I STARTED IN DORCHESTER IN 1985.
BEFORE THAT I WAS A CADET.
MANY CALLS FOR MY MOTHER WORRIED BECAUSE OF THE ATMOSPHERE OF THE TIME.
BETWEEN THE COMMUNITIES AND BPD.
IF YOU WANT CHANGE BE THE CHANGE.
THAT IS WHY I BECAME A POLICE OFFICER.
THE GANG UNIT, THE DRUG CONTROL UNIT, ACADEMY INSTRUCTOR, SERGEANT, DETECTIVE SERGEANT, THEN THE BEST APPOINTMENT EVER TO THE COMMAND STAFF.
ALMOST 9.5 YEARS AGO.
WE SERVE THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY.
FROM DORCHESTER TO THE GANG UNIT.
THEN I COMMAND AND THEN THIS MAN RIGHT HERE.
THIS MAN RIGHT HERE APPOINTED ME AS THE FIRST AMERICAN CHIEF.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK THEM AGAIN -- FIRST AFRICAN AMERICAN CHIEF.
I WOULD LIKE TO THANK HIM AGAIN.
IT SHOWS THAT ANY KID IN BOSTON WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE MAYOR, COMMISSIONER, OR CHIEF.
IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER.
GOD BLESS MY MENTORS, EVERYONE THAT LED ME TO WHERE I AM TODAY.
GOING FORWARD, THIS IS THE BEST CITY.
THIS IS THE BEST VILLAGE.
UNDER THAT CONCEPT I’M CONFIDENT THAT PEOPLE WILL HAVE OUR BACK AT THE BPD AND HAVE MY BACK GOING FORWARD AS THE POLICE COMMISSIONER FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON.