Milford Police Chief Retiring By End Of September

MILFORD, MA — Milford police Chief James Falvey has notified the town that he will retire from the position by Sept. 30.

Falvey is retiring after just over 40 years in the Milford Police Department. He was appointed as chief after the Milford Select Board voted to terminate Michael Pighetti from the job in October 2021.

In a letter this month to Town Administrator Richard Villani, Falvey thanked town residents and employees and his wife, Sherry, for helping him during his career.

"I was very fortunate to be able to serve for 40 years as a police officer for the Milford community and I'd like to express my sincere gratitude to many people, including but not limited to: the Milford citizens, the Select Board, my administrative assistant, my command staff and all other town employees who assisted me, other members in the criminal justice field, to all past and present employees both police and civilian for the Milford Police Department who were and are some of the finest men and women in law enforcement and of course yourself," the letter said.

Falvey was the longest serving chief since Tom O'Loughlin, who is now a Select Board member, stepped down from the job in June 2019. Pighetti was offered the job only after an outside candidate turned down the town's job offer in early 2021.

Falvey's retirement was expected. The town convened a 12-member police chief search committee in early 2023, with chair and Select Board member Paul Mazzuchelli saying the committee would present candidates before September.

The police chief search committee will hold its final meeting on Thursday. The only item on the agenda is a discussion about the chief selection process, and ways to improve it in the future. The committee has not publicly released the names of the finalists. The Milford Select Board will ultimately choose the final candidate.

Select Board member and chief search committee chair Paul Mazzuchelli said the three finalists will be interviewed by the Select Board at the Sept. 21 meeting. The three finalists are from inside and outside the department, Mazzuchelli said.

Related: Milford Narrows Police Chief Candidates To Six