Boston’s 1st black police commissioner sworn in

In this July 23, 2018 photo, newly appointed Boston Police Commissioner William Gross speaks at City Hall after he was introduced to succeed William Evans. Gross will be sworn in as the city’s first African American police commissioner on Monday, Aug. 6. (Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via AP) Jessica Rinaldi AP

In this July 23, 2018 photo, newly appointed Boston Police Commissioner William Gross, right, speaks after he was introduced to succeed William Evans, left, at City Hall in Boston. Gross will be sworn in as the city’s first African American police commissioner on Monday, Aug. 6. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald via AP) Matt Stone AP

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

BOSTON William Gross was sworn in Monday as Boston’s first black police commissioner, pledging to create a more inclusive and diverse department and prioritize officer well-being.

Calling it a historic occasion, Democratic Mayor Marty Walsh administered the oath of office to Gross in front of a standing-room only crowd of about 900 people at the Morning Star Baptist Church.

As the crowd cheered, Gross took off his new badge and put it around the neck of his mother, who’s been a member of the church for 35 years. At one point, someone in the crowd shouted “This is history!”

”I know that Dr. Martin Luther King is looking down today and smiling at the realization of one of his dreams: that a man is not judged by the color of his skin by the content of his character,” said Randall Halstead, a retired police superintendent.