Michael Cox (police officer) facts for kids

Michael A. Cox, born on June 17, 1965, is an American police officer. He is currently the top police officer, known as the Commissioner, for the Boston Police Department. Before this important role, he served as the chief of police in Ann Arbor, Michigan, from 2019 to 2022.

Early Life and Education

Michael Cox was born in Roxbury, Massachusetts, in 1965. He was the youngest of six children in his family. He attended private schools, including Milton Academy for a year. Later, he went to Wooster School in 1981 and then to Providence College in 1984.

Michael Cox's Police Career

Starting Out in Boston

In the early 1990s, Michael Cox joined the Boston Police Department (BPD). At that time, there were many challenges in policing. Officers sometimes used tactics like "stop and frisk" on people.

A Difficult Incident

In 1995, Michael Cox was involved in a high-speed car chase. He continued the chase on foot. During this time, he was mistakenly identified as a suspect. He was badly injured and had to go to the hospital. He suffered a serious brain injury.

After the incident, the officers involved did not report what happened. Michael Cox later learned about it from newspaper articles. He decided to file a lawsuit. The BPD settled the case with him, paying him $900,000 for damages. Three officers were fired because of the incident. However, one officer was later reinstated.

This event in Michael Cox's life was written about in a book called The Fence. The book was written by Dick Lehr, a former reporter for The Boston Globe.

Moving to Ann Arbor and Back to Boston

Michael Cox (center) with Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey (left) and Boston Mayor Michelle Wu at the 2023 South Boston St. Patrick's Day Parade.

By 2013, Michael Cox had become a Deputy Superintendent in the BPD. By 2019, he reached the rank of Superintendent. This was the second-highest rank in the Boston Police Department. He led the Bureau of Professional Development and the Police Academy.

In September 2019, Michael Cox became the chief of police for Ann Arbor, Michigan. He served in this role until July 31, 2022.

Michael Cox speaks at a press conference before the 2024 Boston Marathon.

In July 2022, Mayor of Boston Michelle Wu announced that Michael Cox would be the new Police Commissioner for Boston. He officially started his new role on August 15, 2022.

Personal Life

As of April 2024, Michael Cox is married and has three children. One of his children is Michael Cox, who played football for the UMass Minutemen and the New York Giants.