Commissioner (Ret.) Edward F. Davis

Advisor

Commissioner Edward F. Davis has a law enforcement career that spans more than 35 years.

He served as the 40th Police Commissioner of the City of Boston from December 2006 until October 2013. Commissioner Davis was Boston’s lead police official during the tragic Marathon bombing, and testified before Congress about the bombing and lessons learned. Prior to that, Commissioner Davis was the Superintendent of the Lowell Police Department, a position he held for 12 years and one he rose to after starting out as a patrol officer in 1978.

In Boston, Commissioner Davis oversaw police services for over 600,000 residents, along with those visiting and working in the City of Boston. His extensive law enforcement background set the tone for policing in the city, from the walking beat, to managing massive demonstrations and special events, to creating an improved and trusting relationship between the police and community, to innovative technology and social media efforts that have improved public safety and allowed open dialogue with those the police department serves. Davis’s leadership resulted in more than 50 percent reductions in part one crime in Lowell, and more than 30 percent reductions in Boston.

Commissioner Davis has also worked internationally on police issues in Singapore, London, Northern Ireland, Jordan and Israel. He served on the Police Executive Research Forum’s (PERF) Board of Directors and was a founding member and first President of the Massachusetts Major City Chiefs Association.

He has been recognized for his efforts locally and nationally, including through the Police Executive Research Forum, the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Major Cities Chiefs Association. He has received Honorary Doctorates from Northeastern and Suffolk Universities and the University of Massachusetts at Lowell.

Following his retirement from the Boston Police Department, Commissioner Davis established an internationally renowned consulting firm advising federal, state, local and international public safety agencies, corporations and educational institutions. The firm focuses on threat assessment and response, with emphasis on emerging technologies that save lives and cost effectively mitigate risk.