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William Gross suddenly retires as Boston police commissioner
By adamg on Thu, 01/28/2021 - 10:21am
William Gross is retiring as Boston police commissioner tomorrow, fueling further speculation that he might be planning to run for mayor this year - speculation that Dan Rea at WBZ Newsradio says is for nought.
Mayor Walsh announced Gross will be replaced by Dennis White, currently BPD superintendent and Gross's chief of staff. He would be the department's second Black commissioner.
Gross had served 37 years in the department. Walsh appointed him commissioner in 2018.
In a statement made just as City Councilor Annissa Essaibi-George was formally launching her own campaign for mayor, Walsh said:
We can all be proud of the legacy he'll leave behind, from reducing major crime to helping undertake the most ambitious set of police reforms in the department's history.
In his own statement, Gross said:
It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as Police Commissioner, leading a department of hardworking men and women who serve this city day-in and day-out, and put the safety and well-being of our community first. They have shown time and again their unwavering commitment to our residents, rising to the occasion during moments of crisis, reaching out a helping hand to those in need, and running towards danger in the name of public safety for all. I am immensely proud of their performance under tremendous pressure. It is only after long and careful consideration that I have made the decision to retire from my role. My heart will always remain alongside my brothers and sisters of the BPD, who over the course of my 37-year career have become my village. I will continue to be one of their biggest champions as I move forward with my next chapter.
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Comments
Accountability
One thing is certain. We'll never have any real police accountability or reform with a cop as mayor.
Adam
has scooped the Globe!
Edit: By almost a half hour, nice going!
Does it really count though?
Does it really count though? The City sent a press release out and posted it to the front page of the City's website for all to see. I certainly appreciate Adam's work helping us stay informed, but this is far from a UHub exclusive.
Now the real scoop on this story may be coming from Dan Rea: https://twitter.com/wbznewsradio/status/1354816404969582597
Yep
I just typed a bit faster (and got in fewer details) on his resignation.
Rea was, I think, the first to report that Gross was even considering running for mayor, so he seems to have an in with a person familiar with the commissioner's thinking, to borrow a phrase from Washington reporters.
Bill Forry tweet
"City Hall sources tell me Commissioner Gross is NOT running for Mayor. #bospoli"
Does Milton have a mayor?
Per the Digg, that's where Gross actually lives... but sure, Wu is a carpetbagger.
Yes. It counts.
Gaffin is one of the only real journalists in this burg. It's his scoop and not that shrimpy goof Dan Rea's.
Who will probably have Big Hat Willie on his show so Willie can get some loving from Dan's white listeners in Saugus and Wareham about how he would have cleaned up the City.
The guy who can't clean up his own fucking department.
Did I say he had the World
Did I say he had the World Exclusive?
No.
I said he scooped the Globe.
Nitpick much?
Nitpick?
Welcome to the UHub comments section!
I hear
He's retiring to focus on bringing a serial pedophile predator to justice. No wait, they already caught his former union head - my bad!
Maybe Bill Barr has a traveling puppet show upcoming that Gross will be part of?
Next chapter?
Don't quit a [very well-paying] job until you have another one lined-up, so the old saying goes. I don't know very much about the former police commissioner but if one is to speculate based on the past experiences of the four Boston mayors I've lived to see, they all had prior, successful and extensive electoral experience before being elected to the position, so for a guy who's worked one job for 37 years and has an associate's degree to show for it, I would find it highly unlikely that a candidacy for mayor would result in a win. City council, sure, but mayor would be a high hurdle for someone without a political base like Gross.
Federal gig
For the cheap(ish) shots I took at him above, I assume he has a federal opportunity lined up?
Would Baker bring in someone like Gross to try to fix the MSP disaster? I assume that wouldn't fly but don't know the politics of it.
Something something spending
Something something spending more time with family which is something he can already do and still be commissioner. At the level he's at it doesn't make any sense to quit a job without having the other one secured. Unless there's something else we don't know about.
Hmmm, boston.com used the
Hmmm, boston.com used the identical headline. Who copied whom (or coincidence)?
Coincidence
I almost never read boston.com, and haven't today, so.
boston.com still exists?
.
Updated the post
With Dan Rea throwing some water on the mayoral fire.
Does this mean he only gave
Does this mean he only gave the city one day’s notice?
Or, did the city just choose to wait?
My first reaction was that it’s really irresponsible to quit with one day’s notice such an important job. But, now I’m wondering if I am misinterpreting.
I suspect it had been in the works for awhile
But he and the mayor only decided to announce it with one day's notice. The question then is why.
I wish him well
I'm tired of the cynicism and negativity. I
I hope everything is ok for him family & healthwise, and wish him well in retirement.
If it we're health related they'd say so.
It garners sympathy.
Somethings "off" here.
How will I know the top cop
How will I know the top cop without that hat and coat? I'd vote for him for mayor.
Suddenly?
So...there's a filing deadline for something. It's not another job offer, he'd have announced it with his resignation.
Having a cop as mayor is a Bad Idea.
Happy trails
See ya !
Just read in the Hyde Park
Just read in the Hyde Park Group that he is not running for mayor.
Some unwanted news about to come out?
My first thought was that he's resigning ahead of something unwanted being revealed that could lead to a forced resignation or worse.
Can’t wait
120% on board with Willy G for Mayor. I’ll hold signs, knock on doors, whatever it takes.
Looks like some behind the
Looks like some behind the scenes deal making so Marty could appoint the successor.
Gross will be joining Dan Rea
Gross will be joining Dan Rea on Nightside on WBZ1030 at 8 tonight so I guess if you are interested in hearing more about this, tune in?
https://twitter.com/WBZNightside/status/1354899714639077376
Thank you Commissioner Gross
37 years of service to the city. What an accomplishment.
One possible reason not to run
Maybe he's a Milton resident?
Milton Resident
No I heard that he had to move back to Boston for the job..
According to the article
He is registered to vote in Boston.
Rachel Rollins didn't live in Suffolk County when she was elected District Attorney. I'd be willing to bet that if Gross decided to run, his address would not have been an issue. That said, him not running probably means a return to Milton.
"suddenly"
Is the only information we need to remember here.
You don't just do that without something immediately lined up or (if he is running) a prominent backer(s), a war chest, etc.
Gross isn't getting elected. Personally I don't even think he's running.
Well, technically he could be running just not for office.
This just gets weirder by the
This just gets weirder by the minute.