Mass. police chief on leave after recent deaths, outrage from families of officers
Mass police chief put on leave after latest deaths, anger from officers’ families
The police chief of a Massachusetts city has been placed on leave after a series of recent deaths shook the community.
Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett confirmed Haverhill Police Chief Robert Pistone is on leave in a statement shared with Boston 25 News.
“Police Chief Robert Pistone is currently on leave effective Wednesday, October 8, 2025,” Barrett said.
Haverhill Police Chief Robert Pistone
Deputy Chief Stephen Doherty will serve as the city’s active police chief until Pistone returns to office, according to Barrett.
The announcement comes just days after police union groups in Haverhill and Lawrence Haverhill shares letter from angry families of police officers He called out Pistone, questioning his handling of the deaths.
“Haverhill Police deserve better from their Chief!” the letter states. “You carry the title ‘Chief’ only because politics gave you that title. Titles can be given. Respect must be earned. And you did not deserve it.”
The families also claimed in the letter that Pistone lacked experience, humility and courage.
Although the reason for Pistone’s leave is unclear, it follows the death of a police officer and the death of a man during an encounter with police.
Just last week, Haverhill Police Officer Katelyn Tully was laid to rest after him Sudden death in late September.
“He served our community with grace, compassion, kindness and professionalism and will be greatly missed,” Pistone said after Tully’s death.
While there was no explanation for what caused Tully’s death, police described the situation as “unattended death.”
43 years old in July Francis Gigliotti pronounced dead after encounter with Haverhill officers Outside the Bradford Seafood restaurant.
The incident was captured on cellphone video, with the Essex County District Attorney’s Office announcing it had launched a full investigation into the incident.
Police officers who arrived at the scene claimed Gigliotti was acting aggressively and attempted to restrain him “for safety purposes.” The video shows multiple first responders surrounding Gigliotti.
During this interaction, he became unresponsive and CPR was administered. Gigliotti was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
After the fatal encounter with Gigliotti, Pistone placed seven civil servants on paid administrative leave We are waiting for the outcome of the investigation. The names of the officers involved in the incident were not made public.
In early September, The Coroner’s Office listed Gigliotti’s cause of death “cardiac arrhythmia in a person restrained prone by police who is acutely intoxicated due to the combined effects of cocaine and ethanol.”
Barrett made no mention of the deaths of Tully and Gigliotti in his statement announcing Pistone’s leave of absence.
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