Longtime Pittsfield Police Officer Passes Suddenly

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Pittsfield Police Department is mourning the sudden loss of a longtime officer.

Chief Thomas Dawley announced the unexpected death of Officer Michael Silver "with great sadness" on Monday. Silver worked for the department for more than 15 years and is remembered as a highly respected member of the force.

The Dawley's post on Facebook stated the department would not release more information and requested privacy for Silver's family.

"Rest in peace Ofc. Michael Silver Call Sign #403, your brothers and sisters in blue will take it from here," he wrote in a Facebook post.


Silver began his career with PPD in 2008 after graduating from the State Police Municipal Academy. He has been a senior tactical operator on the Berkshire County Special Response Team since 2016 and was assigned to the department's traffic unit.

"Ofc. Silver was dedicated to the profession of being a police officer and was highly respected by his peers," Dawley wrote.

Silver briefly served with the Lee Police Department in 2015 and was a certified Municipal Police Training Committee instructor in several areas. He received several letters of commendation and was the recipient of the Weapons Seizure Award and a Drug Buster Award.

Dawley and members of the PPD extended their deepest condolences to the officer's family, friends, and those who knew him.


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BRTA Announces Free Rides Extension

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Governor Maura Healey announced that Berkshire Regional Transit Authority (BRTA) will receive $699,733 for fare free service from Jan 1, 2025 through Sept. 30, 2025. 
 
The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced $30 million in grants to 13 Regional Transit Authorities (RTAs) in Massachusetts to provide year-round, fare free public transportation services. The funding was provided in the Fiscal Year 2025 budget signed by Governor Maura Healey in July and builds off of two years of successful pilot programs.
 
Customers riding the fixed route bus and/or the complementary ADA paratransit service will be fare free from Jan. through Sept. 2025. BRTA was already awarded funding to provide free rides for the 2024 Holiday season.
 
Governor Maura Healey, MassDOT Undersecretary Hayes Morrison, Greenfield Mayor Ginny Desorgher, Senator Jo Comerford, and Representatives Natalie Blais and Susannah Whipps made the announcement at John W. Olver Transit Center, which is the headquarters of the Franklin Regional Transit Authority (FRTA), in Greenfield. FRTA has been providing fare free fixed route service since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in Fiscal Year 2020, and its board has voted to continue running fare free service every year since the pandemic. FRTA has previously used a mix of federal COVID-19 relief funding and state funding to provide this service, which will be able to continue with the support of full state funding. FRTA ridership has now exceeded pre-pandemic ridership totals. 
 
"Hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts residents rely on their Regional Transit Authorities to get to and from work, the grocery store, doctor's appointments and school. We're proud to be delivering this funding to help RTAs keep their service fare free to save money for riders and encourage more people to use public transportation," said Governor Maura Healey. "I'm grateful for the leadership of Senate President Spilka, Speaker Mariano and the entire Legislature to make regional transportation more affordable and accessible across our state." 
 
Working together, the 13 RTAs submitted a joint application to disburse the $30 million made available in the FY25 state budget based on ridership within their service areas. These RTA have been offering fare free service in recent years using federal and state funds. Now, this service will be able to continue with full state funding. 
 
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