Haverhill’s police chief has resigned following scathing union letter

Haverhill s police chief has resigned following a police union vote of no confidence in the management of the department after two tragedies Robert Pistone Jr resigned according to the Haverhill local news outlet WHAV I resigned effective at present I believe it s in the best interests of the city and the department going forward he reported WHAV on Thursday That same day media outlets including the Herald released that Pistone was on leave The news outlet disclosed that Haverhill Mayor Melinda Barrett whose office did not respond to repeated Herald information requests on Thursday will keep Deputy Chief Stephen Doherty Jr as head of the department until a replacement is located The resignation happened after an anonymously penned letter accused him of mismanagement especially after the death of -year-old Haverhill Police Officer Katelyn Tully on Sept The Haverhill Police Patrolman s Association also on Thursday announced that it had issued a vote of no confidence in the police chief citing concerns regarding continued mismanagement a persistent lack of transparency and a failure to adequately sponsorship officers in the performance of their duties The department has also been under fire for the July death of -year-old Francis Gigliotti following an encounter with Haverhill police officers The seven police officers involved were placed on administrative leave as the Haverhill Police Department and the Essex District Attorney s office investigate the circumstances the Herald informed