Pittsfield's interim police chief, Thomas Dawley, will assume command of the department permanently. That announcement was made Wednesday.
Dawley has been running the Pittsfield Police on a temporary basis since last July after the retirement of former Chief Michael Wynn. Dawley is a Pittsfield native who has been with the department for more than 20 years, starting as a patrol officer. He had been a captain in charge of the detective bureau before he was called upon to lead the police force.
During a press conference at city hall, Dawley said since he's been the interim chief, he's learned a lot about the job, including patience and "...to communicate," he said. "To communicate with my officers, to take in ideas they may have, to listen to them and just know that I'm here for them."
Dawley said some of his goals include getting the Pittsfield Police up to its full staffing complement of 97 officers and making the city, as he said, the safest community in Massachusetts. Right now the department is six officers short of full staffing, but the new chief said he’s hopeful the department will reach that number by the end of the year.
Mayor Peter Marchetti sung the praises of Dawley during the announcement.
"Policing isn't always easy and there are high expectations," the mayor said. "I know Tom will rise to the challenge and serve his community with steadfast dedication, empathy and diligence. I am honored he's accepted this position and know he will continue to be a reliable leader for the department and this community."
Dawley and Marchetti were also flanked by others in Berkshire County law enforcement, Sherriff Tom Bowler and District Attorney Timothy Shugrue. Both spoke positively of their interactions with the new chief and offered their support going forward.
Also attending were Wynn, the retired police chief and former Pittsfield Mayor Linda Tyer.
Dawley holds an undergraduate degree from Western New England University and a master’s degree from Boston University.
