After receiving negative criticism via social media on Thursday afternoon from City Councilor at-Large Michelle Wu and City Council President Andrea Campbell, William Gross, commissioner of BPD released the following statement:

Regarding Meeting with United States Attorney General William Barr: “As Police Commissioner, I often have to put my personal feelings aside. The top law enforcement official in the country requested a meeting with the Boston Police Department and I would rather take the opportunity to educate someone on what we are doing in Boston on how we value and work with the community, and how we support our officers in this work, than close a door. A meeting does not mean I agree with his policies in any way, but I hope he walked away knowing a little more about ours.