Evans said Ridge worked with him when he was a superintendent. Previously, Ridge worked in District D-4 in the South End, the Anti-Crime Unit, Mobile Operations, District A-1 in Downtown Boston, District B-2 in Roxbury, and the Special Events Unit.

Deputy Superintendent William Ridge, a 32-year veteran of the department, will replace Superintendent Bernard O’Rourke, who was in charge of the Bureau of Field Services. O’Rourke retired on Jan. 18 after 39 years with the department.

Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans promoted two women and a black man to his command staff on Friday and named a veteran police official to replace a recently retired superintendent who was on the front lines of the Marathon bombing.


“Losing Bernie O’Rourke is a big loss, but we won’t miss a beat with Billy being there,” Evans said.

Evans also promoted Sergeant Detective Winifred Cotter, a 30-year veteran, who is currently assigned to the Dignitary Protection Unit. Cotter will become deputy superintendent in the Office of the Police Commissioner, where she will be charged with creating training for officers on how to better deal with people suffering from opiate abuse and mental illness.

Cotter has had assignments in Jamaica Plain, Roxbury, East Boston, Allston-Brighton, and downtown. She is a cousin of Mayor Martin J. Walsh.

“She’s a hard worker,” Evans said, noting she was the first female sergeant on her unit.

Sergeant Beth Donovan, a 21-year veteran on the Special Events Unit, was promoted to deputy superintendent of the Bureau of Field Services.

Sergeant Detective Marcus Eddings who is assigned to the Homicide Unit and is supervisor of the Fatal Collision Investigative Team, was promoted to deputy superintendent of the Criminal Investigative Division.

The promotions of two women bring the number of women on the command staff to six, the most in the history of the department, Evans said.


Jan Ransom is at jan.ransom@

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