BOSTON (WHDH) - Mayor Martin J. Walsh has placed new Boston Police Commissioner Dennis White on administrative leave amid an investigation into domestic violence allegations involving his ex-wife from the late 1990s that surfaced about 48 hours after he was sworn in.
In a statement, Walsh said he made the decision after learning of “serious allegations” and “disturbing issues” that were not previously known by him or his staff.
“In an attempt to create a smooth transition and honor former Commissioner Gross’s desire to spend time with his family, Dennis White was asked to quickly step into the role of Police Commissioner, beginning last Friday,” Walsh said in a statement issued on Wednesday. “These disturbing issues were not known to me or my staff, but should have been at the forefront. Upon learning of these serious allegations, I immediately acted, placing the Commissioner on administrative leave, while corporation counsel engages outside counsel to conduct a full and impartial investigation.”
Court documents reviewed by 7NEWS detailed domestic violence allegations, as well as an abuse prevention order against White from 1999.
White’s ex-wife, who was also a Boston police officer, told investigators in 1999 that a “comment made by Dennis about shooting her concerned her greatly,” the documents indicated.
White also allegedly told his then 17-year-old daughter, “Don’t startle me when you come up because I sleep with a gun under my pillow.” At the time, the teenager reportedly told police that she took the comment as a warning.
White responded to the allegations at the time, saying that “he never assaulted, attempted to assault, threatened, or attempted to abuse the plaintiff,” the documents showed.
Criminal charges were never filed against White.
Walsh addressed the situation again after his Senate committee hearing for labor secretary on Thursday.
“The commissioner has been chief of staff for the department for the last three years under the previous commissioner and has been in the command staff for several years now, so that’s why we’re going to do an outside look at it to see what’s serious,” he told 7’s Dan Hausle.
White, who was previously a superintendent in the department and chief of staff to Commissioner William G. Gross, was sworn in as the city’s 43rd police commissioner earlier this week after Gross announced his retirement last month.
Superintendent-in-Chief Gregory Long will serve as acting commissioner while the investigation plays out.
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