Pittsfield Mayor Offers Police Chief Position to Unnamed Candidate

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
08:01AM / Thursday, February 26, 2026Print Story | Email Story

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A candidate has been offered the police chief position, and their name will be announced at an upcoming press conference.

On Thursday, Mayor Peter Marchetti's office confirmed that an offer has been made for Thomas Dawley's successor. The person has not been named, nor the date of the press conference.

iBerkshires.com will provide coverage on that day.

"The Mayor has made an offer to a candidate and that name will be released at an upcoming press conference," Director of Administrative Services and Public Information Officer Catherine VanBramer wrote via email.

The mayor's office was unable to provide details about the chief's salary at this point, because they are working to finalize a contract, VanBramer said.

Police Chief Thomas Dawley announced his intent to retire late last year after 24 years with the Pittsfield Police Department. He was appointed the interim police chief in June 2023 and permanent chief a year later.

Marchetti was charged with appointing the new chief, and Capt. Marc Strout has led the department in the interim.

In the fall, he requested that a Civil Service assessment be conducted for a new chief, and two candidates took the test.

The two candidates who took the police chief exam in December were Lt. Marc Maddalena and Capt. John Murphy.

Tags: police chief,

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State Plans 2026 Construction Start for Holmes Road Bridge

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
03:38PM / Thursday, February 26, 2026

PITTSFIELD, Mass.— The state Department of Transportation plans to begin construction on the structurally deficient Holmes Road bridge this year.

The structure between Cooper Parkway and Pomeroy Avenue closed on Wednesday so that a signal can be installed for one-lane traffic beginning next week.

"While the timeline for repairs is still being finalized, MassDOT aims to advertise this project for bids this summer, with construction set to begin later this year," John Goggin, MassDOT communications analyst, said via email on Wednesday.

On Tuesday, the city notified residents that the bridge on Holmes Road, a well-traveled route, will be reduced to one lane indefinitely beginning March 2.

Following a partial load rating analysis, MassDOT recommended that the city close the state-owned bridge with a plan to reopen it with an alternating one-way traffic pattern, Goggin reported.

It's the third bridge in the Berkshires that's been downgraded in the past month: The Red Mills bridge in Clarksburg is set to be replaced with a temporary bridge, and the Park Street bridge in Adams has had weight restrictions placed on it.

Two years ago, a bridge farther down the road over the rail line on Holmes reopened after a partial closure since 2019 and a full closure of more than 60 days.

The bridge over the Housatonic is identified as being structurally deficient by the state based on an inspection last October. Built in 1962, the 35-foot steel-and-concrete span has an overall condition of 4, or poor.