Mayor Wu Appoints Evandro Carvalho of the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency

Mayor Michelle Wu today announced Evandro Carvalho as the new Executive Director of the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency (OPAT). In this role, Carvalho will work to improve the structures of public safety and health through  enhancing transparency and accountability within the Boston Police Department (BPD) and building trust between residents and law enforcement across Boston’s neighborhoods.

Established through the passage of a 2020 ordinance, after being one of the signature recommendations of the 2020 Boston Police Reform Task Force, OPAT works to strengthen the relationship between the Boston Police Department (BPD) and Boston’s communities by increasing trust, transparency, and accountability. The Office is charged with investigating complaints of police misconduct, ensuring that the Boston Police Department's internal affairs review process is fair and thorough, and reviewing Boston Police Department's existing and proposed policies and procedures. 

“Every resident, in every neighborhood, should be safe and feel safe in the knowledge that our Police Department and City will uphold the responsibility to serve and protect,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I'm grateful to Evandro for his years of service to Boston's communities and know that his leadership and expertise will help us continue to build trust and strengthen our ongoing efforts to ensure public safety and health all across our neighborhoods.”

“I want to thank Mayor Michelle Wu for this incredible opportunity to continue to serve the people of Boston in this new capacity as Executive Director of OPAT,” said Evandro Carvalho. “This office is incredibly important for the future of policing in the City of Boston that is diverse, fair, and treats everyone with respect and dignity.  I look forward to working with Mayor Wu, BPD Commissioner Michael Cox, other elected officials, community leaders, and the people of Boston to continue the vowed commitment for the Boston Police Department to be the best in the nation.”

Evandro Carvalho is an experienced public service attorney and former state representative in Massachusetts. When he was 15, and knowing no English, Carvalho emigrated from Cabo Verde, Africa to Boston. He graduated from Madison Park Technical Vocational high school, and earned his undergraduate degree at UMass Amherst and his Juris Doctor at Howard University School of Law. 

Carvalho began his law career at the prestigious law firm of WilmerHale in their Washington DC office. Since 2011, he has been a progressive leader and public servant in all three branches of government in Massachusetts, including assistant prosecutor in Boston, state legislator, and executive director of the Boston Human Rights Commission. As a State Representative, Carvalho worked on police reform and criminal justice reform, as well as youth issues. Most recently, he served as the General Counsel for the Supplier Diversity Office of Massachusetts.  

Evandro Carvalho lives in the Ashmont area of Dorchester with his wife Ashley and their daughters Eliana and Anaya, their son Evandro Jr., and their dog, an energetic boxer named Bruno. 

The Executive Administration of the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency Commission has three Commissioners: the Executive Director, the Chair of the nine-member Civilian Review Board (CRB), and the Chair of the five-member Internal Affairs Oversight Panel (IAOP). Carvalho and the OPAT team will work closely with the aforementioned advisory board and panel to serve as a single point of entry for individuals with concerns or complaints related to the Boston Police Department and its officers and sworn personnel to be heard and responded to, and undertake independent investigation and review of policing in Boston. OPAT will also work through its policies and programming to promote inclusivity, accountability, and community engagement, particularly within the Boston Police Department.

For more information about the Office of Police Accountability and Transparency, visit boston.gov/OPAT. Carvalho started in this position today.