Chief Maddalena on Recent Shootings: The ‘Vast Majority of Pittsfield Is Safe’

Chief Marc Maddalena came into the studio this morning with a clear message for Pittsfield after another shooting last night, this time on Circular Avenue where one person was treated at BMC for a gunshot wound.

He started by talking about Sunday’s incident at Linden and Francis. Officers got called out and the information kept coming in - one victim, then two, then three. Thankfully none of those were fatal. But the chief said when he got home that night his own child asked if he was safe. That hit him. He knows a lot of people in the city are feeling the same anxiety right now, especially with another shooting happening so soon after.

Maddalena was direct. This is not acceptable. It is not the new normal for Pittsfield. He said the vast majority of people in the city are safe. The folks who go to work, take care of their families, and live their regular lives every day are not the ones being targeted.

The people who are not safe, he said, are the ones who choose a lifestyle that comes with violence. The ones involved in the drug business. The ones riding around with guns in a backpack or on their hip. The ones who decide the way to handle being disrespected is to pull a gun. Those are the people putting themselves and others at risk.

Is Pittsfield Safe?

But when you’re being asked that question, “Are we safe?” you have to have a response to it, and the response is: Yes, the vast majority of the population of the city of Pittsfield are safe. Are there factions within our community that aren’t, that choose a lifestyle that kind of goes hand in hand with violence? Yeah, there is.

If you’re involved in the drug business, if you’re the kind of person that’s going to ride around with guns in your backpack or on your hip and you’re gonna react to being disrespected or you’re gonna react to whatever in such an angry fashion that you think that pulling out that gun is the way to answer that, then no, you’re not safe. -Chief Maddalena

He was honest about the motivations he sees. Sometimes it’s drugs and territory. A lot of times it’s something as small as disrespect - something said on Instagram or Facebook - and someone decides they have to “save face.” Maddalena called that immature and cowardly. He said when police get to the bottom of these cases and find out it started over something that small, it is frustrating.

The chief made it clear the department is not burying its head in the sand. They are investigating aggressively, working to identify who is responsible, and holding them accountable. He also stressed that community partnership matters. Information from the public helps, and it also helps deter any retaliation.

Madalena’s bottom line this morning was simple. Most of Pittsfield is safe. The people living normal lives are not the ones in the middle of this. The department’s job is to protect that quality of life and keep going after the ones who are choosing violence.

Maddalena was joined by Mayor Marchetti this morning on a special segment of "Slater & Marjo" during the 7:00 a.m. hour.

Information on the newly formed task force to combat the recent shootings is here.