Head of Boston patrol officers promoted

Superintendent Daniel P. Linskey, who oversees all of the department's patrol officers, will be promoted to superintendent in chief and replace Superintendent Robert Dunford when he retires in August.

Linskey, 42, has long been rumored to be the man who would take the second-highest ranking job in the department.

A 22-year veteran of the department, Linskey has a close relationship with Mayor Thomas M. Menino, whom he used to drive. In 2006, when Commissioner Kathleen O'Toole left the department, Menino promoted Linskey to become chief of staff to the acting commissioner, Al Goslin.

In 2007, after Davis took over, he promoted Linskey to superintendent in charge of field services. Since then, Linskey has been thrust into more high-profile roles, overseeing the police response to sports championship celebrations and large-scale warrant sweeps. Most recently, Linskey spearheaded an initiative to put long-range rifles, such as M16s, in the hands of more officers. Linskey, according to law enforcement officials, told union leaders the idea was to give the guns to as many as 200 officers, including patrol officers, but yesterday Davis scaled back the proposal, saying fewer guns would be distributed.

"Dan is a very committed professional street cop that has risen quickly through the ranks and done a tremendous job in all the assignments he's had," Davis said.

Captain William Evans, who heads District 4, which covers the Back Bay, Fenway, and South End, will be promoted to Linskey's field services position.

Davis announced other promotions and transfers.

Deputy Superintendent Paul Fitzgerald, head of the drug unit, has been promoted to superintendent and reassigned to oversee the Boston Regional Intelligence Center and homeland security issues.

Superintendent Paul Joyce will take over the police academy.

Captain Detective Genevieve King, head of the Family Justice unit, has been promoted to the rank of deputy superintendent and reassigned to the Bureau of Investigative Services.

Lieutenant Detective Robert Merner, the head of homicide, has been promoted to the rank of deputy superintendent and will command the Criminal Investigative Division. Thomas Lee, who currently holds that position, will be transferred to the police academy.

Lieutenant Alfredo Andres has been promoted to deputy superintendent and will act as a liaison between the commissioner's office and the districts.

There were demotions as well. Deputy Superintendent Earl Perkins, who is currently head of the BRIC, will be demoted to sergeant detective and will be transferred to the commissioner's office. Deputy Superintendent Colm Lydon, who is head of labor relations, will go to the academy as a lieutenant detective. Davis declined to say why they were demoted. There are no internal affairs investigations or complaints against either officer.

The changes, which are effective today, will not affect the number of officers in the commissioner's command staff, which hovers around 44, including captains and captain detectives.

Davis had previously said he would consider thinning the top ranks as a way to save money at a time when patrol officers and cadets are being laid off.

Yesterday, however, he said that the recent spike in crime will prevent him from making such changes immediately.

Davis said he also worried that demoting command staff members could hurt diversity in the top ranks. "We're facing new challenges in the area of crime and we need assistance in dealing with it," he said.

Maria Cramer can be reached at mcramer@globe.com.