Once beaten by colleagues, Michael Cox will be Boston's police commissioner

A former Boston police officer who was beaten more than 25 years ago by colleagues who mistook him for a suspect in a fatal shooting will be the new leader of the city's police department, Mayor Michelle Wu announced Wednesday.

The commissioner post is a homecoming for Michael Cox, 57, a city native who served in multiple roles with the Boston Police Department before becoming the police chief in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2019. Cox is expected to take the helm in Boston next month.

Cox told reporters that his appointment is an "emotional moment" for him. He promised to work to diversify the police department — which critics have long complained doesn't look enough like the city it serves — and make sure officers feel supported in their job to protect the community.