The Department

Deputy Chief Lewis Best - Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Division

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Deputy Chief Best is the Commander of the Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Division. He was appointed to the MBTA Transit Police Department in 1988. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session #244 and the Senior Management Institute for Police at the Police Executive Research Forum (PERF).

He represents the Department on homeland security initiatives and works in collaboration with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies and private partners to safeguard mass transit and public transportation. He oversees the Intelligence Unit and emergency preparedness planning and serves on various homeland security committees and working groups and assists in managing DHS grants for the MBTA, which is the nation's fifth largest transit system.

He is responsible for the creation and growth of the Intelligence Unit. Today the unit is recognized nationally as a leader for intelligence sharing efforts and initiatives to safeguard mass transit.

Prior to his current position, he served as Division Commander of the Investigative Services Division, which included the Intelligence Unit, the Criminal Investigations Unit, the Anti-Corruption Unit, Crime Scene and Juvenile Services. He served in the Investigative Services Division for eighteen years. Prior to his promotion to Deputy Chief, he served in various supervisory positions, including as Lieutenant Detective and Commander of the Intelligence Unit and the Internal Security Unit. As a Detective he was assigned to the Major Case Unit and prior to that position he was assigned to the US Drug Enforcement Administration, where he was a federally deputized Task Force Agent.

He also served in various capacities in the Patrol Operations Division, including foot and mobile patrol assignments, as a field training officer and with the Motorcycle Unit. Prior to his appointment with the Transit Police, he served for six years as a police officer with the Winchester, MA Police Department.