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New Cambridge police commissioner is first woman to lead department

Commissioner Christine Elow.City of Cambridge

Cambridge officials said Monday that city police Commissioner Christine Elow has been named permanent leader of the department, serving as the first female head of the agency since its inception in 1859.

The city confirmed the permanent appointment of Elow, who’s served as acting commissioner since August, in a statement.

“My entire career has been dedicated to serving the Cambridge community,” Elow said in the statement. “I grew up in Cambridge and love working in this city. Now, I look forward to building off what we have started since I was named Acting Police Commissioner and am truly honored to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead the department.”

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Elow said she’ll remain “committed to bringing change and transformation to public safety and working collaboratively with the community. I plan on doing everything I can to help CPD advance its mission and continue to serve as the model for policing in Massachusetts and the country.”

The commissioner joined the Cambridge Police Department in 1995 after serving four years in the Navy, according to the statement.

She served previously in the department’s Patrol Division and also oversaw the Professional Standards Unit, where she was received, processed, and investigated complaints against officers, the statement said.

Elow later served as deputy superintendent for day patrol and community services and was appointed superintendent in 2017.

The statement described Elow as a proponent of community-driven policing, juvenile justice, procedural justice, police training and innovative hiring. She holds a bachelors in criminal justice administration from Curry College, as well as a masters from the Naval Postgraduate School’s Center for Homeland Defense and Security Program, according to the statement.

City officials in the statement praised her record of public service.

“Acting Commissioner Elow has earned the opportunity to lead the Cambridge Police Department on a permanent basis,” said Mayor Sumbul Siddiqui. “She is an exemplary role model and has gained my trust and the trust of many in the community through her leadership, integrity, and distinction. As a native Cantabrigian, Christine Elow has a lifelong commitment to our community, and I look forward to working with her in her new role.”

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Siddiqui’s words were echoed by City Manager Louis A. DePasquale.

“Over the last six months, I have worked closely with Acting Commissioner Elow, and her leadership, contributions, and collaborative spirit throughout this unprecedented time have been nothing short of impressive,” DePasquale said. ”Ms. Elow has clearly demonstrated to the public and to me that she is the right person to lead the Cambridge Police Department. I am pleased to appoint Christine Elow as the permanent Commissioner for the Cambridge Police Department.”


Travis Andersen can be reached at travis.andersen@globe.com.