Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow to Retire After More Than 30 years With Department

After more than 30 years of dedicated service to the Cambridge Police Department, Commissioner Christine Elow has announced her retirement.

Raised in the city she spent her entire career serving, Commissioner joined the Cambridge Police in 1995 and went on to become the first woman to lead the department in 2022. Over the course of three decades, she has worked in nearly every corner of the organization from Patrol Operations, Support Services, Professional Standards, and Community Services.

During her four years as Commissioner, Elow guided the department through an important period of transformation. Under her leadership, the department strengthened its commitment to transparency, procedural justice, and community driven public safety.

Key milestones during her time as Commissioner included:

• Achieving advanced level CALEA Accreditation, widely considered the gold standard in policing.
• Implementing a department-wide body-worn camera program.
• Launching the Procedural Justice Dashboard to increase transparency and build trust.
• Strengthening hiring and recruitment practices to support a more diverse department workforce.
• Advancing alternative public safety models, including helping with the launch of the Community Safety Department and implementing a Co-Response model with licensed clinicians.

With Commissioner Elow’s retirement, Superintendent Pauline Wells has been named Acting Police Commissioner. She joined the Police Department in 1993 and has most recently served as Superintendent of Operations. Prior to that, she was the Commanding Officer for Criminal Investigations and Administration Services. Over her career, she has served in various units within the department and been actively involved in the community.