Dennis White | |
---|---|
43rd Commissioner of the Boston Police Department | |
In office February 1, 2021 – June 7, 2021 Suspended: February 3, 2021 –June 7, 2021 | |
Mayor | Marty Walsh Kim Janey (acting) |
Preceded by | William G. Gross |
Succeeded by | Michael Cox Gregory Long (acting) |
Personal details | |
Born | 1961or1962(age 62–63) [1] Boston,Massachusetts |
Residence | Randolph,Massachusetts [2] |
Alma mater | Newbury College |
Dennis A. White (born c. 1962) is a police officer who was Commissioner of the Boston Police Department. After being sworn in on February 1,2021,White was placed on leave two days later,as the city conducted an investigation into a 1999 allegation of domestic violence against his wife and teenage daughter. On June 7,2021,Acting Mayor Kim Janey fired White after legal challenges. [3]
White is a native of the Four Corners area of the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, [4] and graduated from Jeremiah E. Burke High School in the Dorchester neighborhood. [5] He spent five years as a member of the Boston Fire Department. [6] In 2005,he earned a bachelor's degree in legal studies from Newbury College in nearby Brookline,Massachusetts. [5]
As of January 2021 [update] ,White had been a member of the Boston Police Department for 32 years. [4] He rose through leadership roles,becoming a deputy superintendent in 2014. [7] [1] In August 2018,Boston police commissioner William G. Gross promoted White to superintendent and named him chief of staff. [6] In 2020,White was one of two police officers on an 11-member task force assembled to review and recommend improvements to policing in Boston,following the murder of George Floyd. [8]
On January 28,2021,Gross abruptly announced his retirement,effective the next day. [4] On Gross’recommendation,Boston mayor Marty Walsh named White his successor as commissioner,with White becoming acting commissioner on January 29. [7] Formally sworn in on February 1,White became the department's 43rd commissioner and second Black commissioner. [7] [9]
On February 3,2021,White was placed on leave,in light of "the handling of a 1999 allegation of domestic violence." [5] [10] Superintendent-in-chief Gregory Long was named acting commissioner while the City of Boston hired an outside investigator to conduct an investigation. [5] [10] The 1999 incident involved White allegedly saying he “wanted to shoot" his wife and making threatening statements to his teenage daughter. These allegations resulted in a judge issuing a restraining order on May 5,1999,that forced White to vacate his home,stay away from his wife and children,and surrender his service weapon. [5] Public records requests from The Boston Globe for internal affairs records about the incident were refused by the City of Boston. [11]
On May 14,2021,White's attorneys filed a motion in Suffolk Superior Court requesting a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order,stating that acting Boston mayor Kim Janey planned to fire White,and that such removal would require a hearing and cause. [12] In a news conference later that day,Janey stated that White was still on administrative leave,awaiting outcome of the court action. [13] Also on May 14,a report from an independent investigator was released with additional details of the 1999 domestic abuse allegations. [2] The report alleged:
On May 20,lawyers for White and the City of Boston presented their arguments to a judge,with White's counsel asserting that Mayor Walsh was aware of the 1999 allegations at the time White was appointed,therefore White could not now be removed on the same grounds;in a statement,Walsh denied prior knowledge of the allegations. [15] On May 25,a judge ruled against White,denying the request for a preliminary injunction. [16] The following day,the judge granted White's attorney a motion for a delay,to "have the opportunity for a higher court to review". [17] A judge of the Massachusetts Appeals Court denied the appeal on May 27. [18] On May 31,White notified Janey of two video affidavits,from his daughter and former sister-in-law,stating that White was not an abuser and was actually the victim of domestic abuse. [19] On June 2,Janey held a hearing with White. [20] [21] That same day,White's ex-wife made public statements asserting that White did physically and emotionally abuse her. [21]
On June 7,2021,Acting Mayor Janey fired White from his position as police commissioner,ending a five-month period of limbo while independent investigations and legal challenges were conducted. [3]
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