NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — A nearly 20-year veteran of the Police Department has been named as interim police chief effective Monday, April 10.
Mayor Jennifer Macksey said on Friday that she has appointed Sgt. Mark Bailey to temporarily replace departed Chief Jason Wood. Lt. Anthony Beverly had stepped into the leadership role last month when Wood was put on administrative leave.
"I have the outmost confidence in Bailey's ability to lead this department to be the best and most professional department it can be," the mayor said in a statement.
"I extend my gratitude to Lt. Anthony Beverly for helping us through this transition. He is a true team player, a person that serves with respect and dedication to the North Adams community."
Bailey started with the force as a reserve patrol officer in December 2004 and was hired as a full-time permanent police officer a year later. In 2013, he was assigned to the Detective Bureau and took on the role of narcotics investigator for the Berkshire County Law Enforcement Task Force.
He was appointed acting detective sergeant of the Detective Bureau in 2015 and appointed permanent detective sergeant in 2017. In 2020, he returned to patrol as sergeant supervising third shift.
Macksey said Bailey has extensive training and certifications in interviewing and interrogations, sexual assault investigations, fire investigations, tactical deployment of officers and emergency medical services during critical incidents, and advanced cell phone investigations, as well as death scene investigator training.
Bailey is also an investigator for Internet Crimes Against Children, which is an assignment he will continue as interim chief.
The 2000 Drury High graduate obtained his bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Westfield State University in 2004. Bailey also graduated from Aspen University with a master of science in criminal justice with a specialization in law enforcement management.
"He comes highly recommended by his peers," said the mayor. "He carries a high ethical standard and he has the utmost respect and care for not only his colleagues but the community he serves.
"Bailey's focus will be to get the new Police Department headquarters operational, work to get policies and procedure updated, improve community engagement with citizens but most importantly making North Adams the safest it can be."
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Passenger Rail Advocates Rally for Northern Tier Proposal
By Tammy DanielsiBerkshires Staff
Stan Vasileiadis, a Williams College student, says passenger rail is a matter of equity for students and residents.
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Community, education and business leaders are promoting the Northern Tier Passenger Rail Restoration Project as a critical component for economic development — and say it's high time that Western Mass gets some of the transportation infrastructure money being spent in the eastern end of the state.
"What today is all about is building support and movement momentum for this project and getting it done," said state Rep. John Barrett III on Monday, standing behind a podium with a "Bring back the Train!" at City Hall. "I think that we can be able to do it, and when we can come together as political entities, whether it's over in Greenfield, Franklin County, and putting it all together and put all our egos in the back room, I think all of us are going to be able to benefit from this when it gets done."
The North Adams rail rally, and a second one at noon at the Olver Transit Center in Greenfield, were meant to build momentum for the proposal for "full local service" and coincided with the release of a letter for support signed by 100 organizations, municipalities and elected officials from across the region.
The list of supporters includes banks, cultural venues, medical centers and hospitals, museums and chambers of commerce, higher education institutions and economic development agencies.
1Berkshire President and CEO Jonathan Butler said the county's economic development organization has been "very, very outspoken" and involved in the rail conversation, seeing transportation as a critical infrastructure that has both caused and can solve challenges involving housing and labor and declining population.
"The state likes to use the term generational, which is a way of saying it's going to take a long time for this project," said Butler. "I think it's the same type of verbiage, but I don't think we should look at it that way. You know, maybe it will take a long time, but we have to act what we want it next year, if we want it five years from now. We have to be adamant. We have to stay with it. And a room like this demonstrates that type of political will, which is a huge part of this."
The Berkshires is due for a "transformational investment" in infrastructure, he said, noting one has not occurred in his lifetime.
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