BOSTON POLICE COMMISSIONER WILLIAM B. EVANS
I must inquire of those who comprise my inner sanctum — and in strict confidence — what Billy Evans was like as a kid.
There have been many boys in Boston and certainly in Southie named Billy Evans over time. Dennis, Kevin, Timmy and Tommy too.
And Paul.
Paul F. Evans was a Southie kid whose mother died when he was 13. He and his four brothers were raised by their father who died 12 years later. One of his brothers ten years his junior was the baby, Billy.
“Mouse,” he was nicknamed, the lovable runt of the litter.
Paul F. Evans, Jr., the eldest brother, presently holds the title of Executive Vice-President of Security and Compliance for Suffolk Downs. He served as Commissioner of the Boston Police Department from 1994 to 2003.
In 2003 Evans left the department to become the Director of the Police Standards Unit of Britain’s Home Office, a ministerial arm of Her Majesty’s Government of the UK. Performance assessment and overall improvement of British police forces was right in his wheelhouse. He held the position until 2007.
Little did he know that back home his kid brother was climbing the ladder and would one day follow in his footsteps, assuming the BPC mantle of leadership.
Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans, 58, began his career with the department as a patrol officer in 1982. Today he is one of the most powerful people in the city.
And plenty smart.
He aced every promotional exam he took and practiced great self-effacement and humility along the way. He is not at all eloquent and the gift of Hollywood matinee-idol good looks somehow bypassed him.
But he is real, far more importantly. He is as genuine as the day is long with a flat and pronounced Boston accent along with a kind almost gentle demeanor, both of which are so deeply ingrained that they are staunchly unshakeable and define authenticity.
Still “Mouse” to his brothers — the slight and sinewy inveterate marathoner, unimposing to say the least, will not be finding a suit that fits him properly anytime soon — he possesses and projects a counterintuitive aura of authority.
And his reservoir of grit and empathy — a unique combination — will never run dry.
Billy Evans made his bones as a commander who was perhaps the smartest guy in the room.
He’d never let you know it and you probably wouldn’t imagine it, at least at first blush. But what you do is listen. And then look around. The results speak for themselves.
When other cities nationwide (and spanning the globe) saw Occupy movements cascade into the dark vortex of violence, the protest in Boston ended with handshakes because Evans, then a superintendent, treated demonstrators with respect.
In 2013, again showing his true colors and mettle while exercising calmness and restraint, he orchestrated the apprehension of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev alive.
Another shining example of Evans at work surfaced when one of his men, John Moynihan was shot in the face by a life-long felon who was, in response, quickly put down by Moynihan’s fellow officers.
A surprise to some maybe but Evans expressed compassion not only for his wounded officer but also for the family of the man who tried to kill him.
What?
Who does that?
Someone who lost a mother when he was three and a father when he was 15.
Someone whose eldest brother stepped in to be a father figure and a damned good one.
Someone over whom those other brothers watched without a second thought.
(And by the grace of God, didn’t stifle and suffocate him in the process).
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh astutely appointed him commissioner in January 2014.
During his tenure as commissioner, Boston has built a reputation as one of the safest cities of comparable size in America. A good many crime and violence metrics have either dropped or remained steady; there has been a reduction in the Hub’s crime rate.
Evans has been widely credited with establishing the BPD’s most diverse command staff.
If there is a knock on him it is that he has not yet appreciably diversified the rank-and-file officers in accordance with Walsh’s wishes, particularly with respect to the supervisory ranks of sergeant, lieutenant and captain.
He will.
Community is what got Billy Evans, “Mouse,” where he wanted to go.
A tattered home life which became rock solid through positive and productive sibling interaction and familial vigilance offered him the impetus to achieve his goals through hard work.
Community policing which dictates that police officers forge legitimate and lasting relationships with the residents, youth, nonprofits and business owners in their districts is a Billy Evans hallmark.
He swears by it.
And then there’s the matter of trust. Who would know better about that than he?
“Trust must be built, it takes time,” he says.
“But once trust is established, opportunities for solving problems, addressing quality of life issues, and getting resources and services to those most in need are created.”
He lived it, he gets it and he knows.
[Editor’s Note: This piece was written by Mr. Kaplan in July 2017.]
ADDENDA:
Evans served as interim commissioner from November 2013 until he was permanently appointed by Walsh in January 2014. He served through July 2018 when he announced his retirement. Presently he is the executive director of public safety and chief of police at Boston College.
William G. Gross was sworn in as the 42nd commissioner of the Boston Police Department on August 6, 2018. He is the city of Boston’s first African-American police commissioner.
