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MORE WEST SIDE CHAOS SPILLS ONTO NORTH STREET … MAZZEO ISSUES STATEMENT … WYNN, HARRINGTON CONTINUE TO FAIL THE PUBLIC … KILLER(S) STILL ON THE LOOSE, CITIZENS STILL IN THE DARK

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BY DAN VALENTI

PLANET VALENTI NEWS AND COMMENTARY

(FORTRESS OF SOLITUDE, WEDNESDAY SEPT. 4, 2019) — “And the beat goes on.”

Yesterday, at 3:29 a.m., gunshots were heard at Daniels Avenue and Union Street. Police “recovered evidence of a shooting” there, according to Pittsfield police Lt. John Soules. Officer Lupisella spotted a Jeep Cherokee driven by Domingo Sobers, 28, driving away. Police say Sobers ran multiple stops signs, drove the wrong way on one-way Bradford Street, failed to stop for pursuing police, crossed all the lanes of North Street, hit a curb in the east side of North, crashed through the iron fence in front of St. Joseph’s Church, and came to a stop by plowing into a tree on St. Joe’s lawn. The vehicle was demolished.

Police say Sobers showed signs of being not sober, reporting him drunk. Looking inside the Jeep, they say they saw a 9mm handgun in plain view. Cops charged Sobers with eight violations, including illegal possession and discharge of a firearm.

Does this latest incident trouble you? Does it make you feel safe, as D.A. Andrea Harrington, police chief Mike Wynn, and mayor Linda Tyer say you should feel?

There’s only a million questions.

  • Is this related to the Olivieri murder? Authorities say she was not the intended victim.
  • The Sobers incident occurred in the same general area and roughly the same time of night/early morning.
  • Does the evidence removed by police match the shell casings found on Columbus Avenue in the Olivieri case?
  • Was a similar vehicle (Jeep Cherokee) seen on Columbus Avenue around or near the time of murder?

THE PLANET, without drawing conclusions, says there is too much coincidence.

———- 000 ———-

Meanwhile, mayoral candidate Melissa Mazzeo released the following statement regarding the lack of response to recent violence on the West Side of Pittsfield.

“Having gone door-to-door throughout the city, it’s not only the West Side that is questioning the lack of responsiveness to recent violence….it is every resident of the city, “ the candidate stated.

“I spent this past week on the West Side and one resident relayed – ‘I have lived here my whole life and have never seen it so bad’ – No one in this city should feel that way…no one. Why is the mayor not holding large community meetings? Why is the police chief not responding as to what his strategies are to combat this level of unacceptable crime? Why is the DA so incredibly slow in providing information about the recent incidents to the public? It leaves me wondering if the right-hand knows what the left hand is doing.”

Mazzeo’s comments come by way of multiple violent incidents on the West Side of Pittsfield where one resident recently commented to the mayoral candidate, ‘It’s just crazy….crazy.’

“I have looked at other communities who have successfully reduced their crime and it’s never about how many police officers a city has. It’s about how they’re used. There are models such as the Patrol Allocation Plan which was used by New York City decades ago which took their existing police and deployed them in massive numbers to neighborhoods seeing spikes in crime,” Mazzeo said. “Why is Pittsfield not doing this? In New York, the mayor and chief of police were working hand-in-hand to get crime under control. While we are certainly not NYC, it is time we start looking to other communities that have seen a reduction in crime. Rather than trial and error, we need to identify policing strategies that will keep our community safe.

“As Mayor, I will work day in and day out with our department heads to find solutions to this frightening problem. Inaction will not stand. We have too many dedicated and talented police who can and should be deployed effectively.”

Mazzeo is one of four candidates, including incumbent Linda Tyer, running for mayor. The primary is set for Tuesday, September 17th with polls open from 8a.m. to 8p.m.

———- ooo ———-

Meanwhile again, the Columbus Avenue killer or killers remain on the loose in Pittsfield, and Berkshire County residents grope in the dark. Going by the statements of the mayor, district attorney, and police chief, Stephanie Olivieri was an “innocent victim” of the 3:22 a.m. shooting. Taking their word, it means the killers didn’t get their intended target and they’re still looking. Someone’s going to be next. Don’t worry, though: The public is in no danger.

Eleven shell casings were found at the Columbus Avenue scene. THE PLANET received through sources two conflicting statements. The first said they were all from the same weapon. The second insisted this was incorrect, that the shells came from “at least” two different weapons. More ominously, were the casings from hollow-point bullets? This would bear out testimony from descriptions of the fatal head wound as “massive.”

A regular full metal jacket bullet enters the body leaving a small diameter hole, moves along an intertial path, and if it exits, leave a hole only slightly larger than the entrance wound. If the bullet doesn’t exit, it lodges deformed but relatively intact in the body. Hollow points enter the body then explode into fragments, causing horrific damage. Fragments would show up on X-rays. Did the killers use hollow points. Hollows mean business. What did the autopsy reveal? What did the X-rays show?

———- ooo ———-

The entire West Side and all of Berkshire County remains on edge. One area police source (command staff), speaking on condition of anonymity, criticized Harrington and Wynn, saying their handing has been “defensive.” He also shared the following “scuttlebutt and shop talk” (none of this has been officially confirmed, THE PLANET stresses):

  • There were three people involved in the shootings.
  • One of the weapons was a 9mm, thought to be a Glock handgun.
  • One of the three is from Pittsfield, one is from Springfield, and the third from NY State.
  • There was one gunman, one get-away driver (Jeep Cherokee?), one lookout.
  • Shootings are gang- and drug-related.
  • Reason to believe the non-Pittsfield two fled to Springfield.
  • Pittsfield dude is believed still in town.

Harrington and Wynn have all-but disappeared. Both have a reputation in the courthouse and police station for being out of office for long stretches.

Tyer appointed Wynn ostensibly to remove him from politics, but he’s at heart a political animal. Here’s an interesting exchange from two of THE PLANET‘s commentators, Soujourner Truth and Police Report.

———- ooo ———-

SOUJOURNER TRUTHMany Pittsfield citizens are still confused about the internal mechanism Mayor Tyer implemented to get Chief Wynn anointed as “Permanent Chief.”

There was no cohesive information disseminated about this selection process, except that it was not part of the usual MA civil service as an applicant list had expired for the position, and that Tyer opted out of MA civil service and had her politically appointed personnel department design and administer her own version of a so called merit based testing ( civil service)and chief’s selection.
Who were the other applicants and was there a test ? Who created and graded the test, etc. ?

We’re cognizant that Chief Wynn’s politically active wife was one of Tyer’s campaign managers and that there are strong political ties between the Chief and the mayor’s political cult. His coronation ball at the museum was also a media circus and a first.
Please, if possible clarify this selection process.

————————————

POLICE REPORT: In reply to Sojourner Truth. Originally Wynn was an interim/acting captain then they renamed him acting chief. It’s an end run around the civil service process. If interim/acting you don’t have to pick from the list, it’s not based on a score.

One of Mayor Linda Tyer’s first moves was trying to get Chief Wynn in under his old 2009 score. She actually spent taxpayer money on the appeal which is unheard of. No Mayor files a civil service appeal, the Chief does, at most an ethical Mayor would file a letter in support. The appeal denial was carefully worded to admonish her and at least reminder her to at least keep the appearance of no conflict of interest.

Since Mayor Linda Tyer’s request was denied, she then rigged the system further by adopting the “verbal” test over the written test. There were three candidates applying for the job, the written test is considered more objective and the verbal test is more subjective. It is well known that if you have a candidate in mind, do the verbal test.
That’s what was done.

Mayor Linda Tyer made some incredible statements in her letter, about the hearing, and to the news.
She called it an “injustice” and wanted them to retroactively accept a score over 7 years out of date.
She didn’t consider that it would be an “injustice” to other candidates to use a test score so out of date.
She didn’t consider it an injustice that she changed the test to favor a candidate.
She didn’t consider it an injustice to only ask for Chief Mike Wynn to get this kind of waiver, the fire department continued with an acting Chief.

Granted his wife/fiancée was not part of Mayor Linda Tyer’s inn we circle for her campaign.
Her excuse, “Law enforcement is still my priority,” because it’s not like you can ask for waivers for more than one person at a time.
This was a political appointment of a Chief who has led Pittsfield to being one of the most violent cities in MA.

Matt Hill is a great person to talk to about all of this.

Matt Hill, as the Union Rep for [police union] 447S, has gone on record, to civil service board, to the union, to the rank and file, and to the news EVERY time it’s come up. He has the unique perspective of a union delegate, trying to protect the rights of supervisors against unfair practices by Mayor Linda Tyer.  Members of the police union, who had opposed Tyer’s request, applauded the commission’s ruling.

“All we asked for was a fair process,” said Pittsfield Police Sgt. Matthew Hill, who represents Local 447S, the union for department supervisors. “We really wanted to see the Civil Service process followed.

Matt is protecting others against the “injustice” that was Mayor Linda Tyer trying to give political payola to her then campaign member’s fiancée.

———- ooo ———-

The Olivieri murder will not “just go away;” it continues to hang around and fester. The, Harrington, Wynn, and the mainstream media can pretend the story doesn’t have legs, but the public’s tangible fear says otherwise.

—————————————————————————————————————————

“There is no ‘there’ there”Dorothy Parker.

“OPEN THE WINDOW, AUNT MILLIE.”

LOVE TO ALL.

The views and opinions expressed in the comment section or in the text other than those of PLANET VALENTI are not necessarily endorsed by the operators of this website. PLANET VALENTI assumes no responsibility for such views and opinions, and it reserves the right to remove or edit any comment, including but not limited to those that violate the website’s Rules of Conduct and its editorial policies. PLANET VALENTI shall not be held responsible for the consequences that may result from any posted comment or outside opinion or commentary as provided in Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act and this website’s terms of service. All users of this website — including readers, commentators, contributors, or anyone else making use of its information — hereby agree to these conditions by virtue of this notice. When PLANET VALENTI ends with the words “The Usual Disclaimer,” that phrase shall be understood to refer to the full text of this disclaimer.

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Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth
4 years ago

Is Mayor Tyer going to throw a flamboyant coronation ball at the museum, replete with political dignitaries, visiting governmental officers, media, music and hors’ devours; like she did for her police chief to celebrate the new Fire Chief ?
The tax payers could go and see their money at work. Cool !!!

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  Sojourner Truth
4 years ago

And are either or both of the number one candidates going to sue the city after they file a civil service appeal because they were bypasssed for the job?????

Sally Says
Sally Says
Reply to  Sojourner Truth
4 years ago

Sally Says not unless new chiefs wife works on Tyers campaign team and chief and Tyer are progressive pals and socialize together.

X-Lachs Lounge
X-Lachs Lounge
Reply to  Sally Says
4 years ago

What about shakesausage?

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
4 years ago

An insiders look at DA Andrea Harrington’s work schedule.
Some of her “loyal” employees have started realizing that she’s not very good at what she does. Reports out of 7 North Street are consistently the same be it new staff, sheriff’s office, drug task force, or MSP.

She really doesn’t know what she’s doing and doesn’t even know what she doesn’t know. Some of the suggestion she makes on cases is patently absurd.

She is trying to appear tough on violent crime based on criticisms in the paper and on blogs. Her take is she inherited a horrible city and a county that has high crime rate areas and it’s “not her fault”.

She is barely in the office, she likes to be seen in court but most of her days are spent not doing much. She routinely takes off for personal / family business and just disappears. A two – three hour working lunch is a common thing for her. She seems to like yoga.

None of her hired guns respect her legal opinion. They run cases by her but that’s just for protocol. They much rather appreciate when she’s not in the office trying to give advice.

She complains a lot about others, the police, judges, and how hard she works. She thinks that everyone is out to “get her” and dismisses most criticisms as personal and political.

Helen Moon is particularly incompetent. Most of the staff can’t even figure out what she’s supposed to do, even though she has a job title.

The workload is very different and the pressures are high because they have been inundated with unsolved violent crimes and as the top law enforcement officer, DA Andrea Harrington is supposed to do something.

She was shocked at how people received her shooting gallery announcement and asked staff to have family and friends write supportive letters to the Berkshire Eagle.

When questioned, she gets very loud and shrill or “squeaky” as one person put it.

A couple lawyers quit because they were so exasperated with her interference.

Truthsayer
Truthsayer
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

In speaking with officers involved in the special units, there is a feeling of disgust and despair with DA Harrington and several seeking a return to regular duty. Harrington is following her own agenda which simply fails to fulfill the legal role of a DA as set forth by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

I would hope that our men and women and blue contact their union or the National Police Association and file a BAR complaint against Harrington. Her actions clearly endanger their lives and the lives of the very citizens who she was elected to protect.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-police-association-files-bar-complaint-against-district-attorney-elect-rachael-rollins-300770768.html

Anderson williams
Anderson williams
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

You sound like a jealous high school girl. Look just guessing but it sounds like you lost your job or a paycheck. Real spooky the obsession. Grow UP!

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Anderson williams
4 years ago

You would be wrong on many levels.
I did not lose my job, in fact my job has gone into overdrive with DA Andrea Harrington in charge of that office.

Anderson williams
Anderson williams
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

Jilted somewhere along the line..Sad

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Anderson williams
4 years ago

You can continue to try and imprint your issue on me but they are not factual.

X-Lachs Lounge
X-Lachs Lounge
Reply to  Anderson williams
4 years ago

Anderson, how does it feel to be Squeaky Harrington’s boot licker?

Blare
Blare
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

BS. If you are not David Capeless or his wife, you are someone very close to them. Your agenda is transparent, and the distorted half-truths in all that you say supports this theory.

If you are Capeless, this is my advice. Just embrace your retirement and go away. You did more damage to this city than your simple mind can possibly comprehend. You are an immoral person with a God complex. Does not get much worse than that.

Please go away.

P.S. Dan, if you decide to edit out my language that is critical of Capeless, at least have the courage to admit that you are a hypocrite regarding the free speech issue, since you are more than happy to indulge all sort of vituperatives directed at people you are not beholden to.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Blare
4 years ago

The truth is self-evident.

DA Andrea Harrington
Took a trip to Portugal to figure out how to handle drug crime. Her answer, make it easier for addicts to do illegal drugs which means increase the market for illegal drugs. That will increase theft and increase violence on the street.

DA Andrea Harrington
Has no experience as an ADA, DA, and by her own words was so ineffective at her job she admitted it in court.

DA Andrea Harrington
Has zero administrative experience in running an office anywhere near the size of the DA’s office. The last office she ran, it was her and a part time assistant in some shared office space in Great Barrington. The assistant left/quit because DA Andrea Harrington was so inept at scheduling and payroll. Also there really was no work after a while, as DA Andrea Harrington had few to no clients as word got out about her ineffective legal skills.

I am someone who live and works in Pittsfield. I’m watching the city circle the drain while the likes of Mayor Tyer, Chief Wynn, and DA Andrea Harrington pretend they know what they are doing and collect paychecks.

Juicy Lucy
Juicy Lucy
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

Who are the lawyers? You don’t have to name names but are they assistant d.a.’s or the lawyer’s quit what or why?

Johnny99
Johnny99
4 years ago

Police Report,

A few posts earlier you wrote that police voted not confidence in their chief. Are you sure about this. I heard he was well,liked and not just by Tyer but by the cops too

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Johnny99
4 years ago

Yes I am sure. There was a vote of patrol union and command union. It was right when he tried to “jump the line” on civil service.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Johnny99
4 years ago

One other note, there are a number of people that like him. He hands out assignments, details, and overtime.

He also helped end a very embarrassing investigation into steroid use in the department. He also allows a number of command as well as a couple sergeants just do their own thing.

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

Thanks. Not saying you’re mistaken but I find that very hard to believe especially with Tyer giving the police department millions extra basically because she likes the chief. The rank and file benefit. I read they had over a cool mill in overtime last year.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Johnny99
4 years ago

The unions were not happy with the civil service games of Wynn and Tyer. Like I said certain people like him and in liking him and supporting him, they get extra overtime and detail assignments.

It’s a bootlicking club.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

Here’s an example:

Chief Wynn and Mayor Tyer who wanted civil service tests to count from years past, again gamed the system by appointing a provisional candidate above that of a civil service candidate who scored higher.

https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2016/12/wz/kirchner-matthew-122216.pdf

Juicy Lucy
Juicy Lucy
4 years ago

When you have a corrupt police department you, our city, has serious trouble. IT IS UNFORTUNATE. We have so many dedicated and honest police officers in our department that this is a travesty. For all of those police officers that are honest and doing their job to “preserve and protect the public ” my heart breaks for them and for our City and our police officers knowing that the leadership is failing them. Dale Eason one of the most violent Pittsfield officers put on paid administrative leave for 3 years and is now with a full City of Pittsfield police pension and the right to carry a gun and still do road jobs seems to have been protected by Wynn who by the way recruited Eason to be a Pittsfield police officer.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
4 years ago

PoliceReport, isn’t Moon shot director of the wellness table?

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Acute Angina
4 years ago

Wellness and water bottles.

Acute Angina
Acute Angina
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

And band aids

Johnny Absurd
Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

Why would Tyer even want to continue as mayor? Has she not gotten what she wanted? Seems to me that she can only go further downhill from here and join the Doyles, Rubertos and Bianchis on the list of persona non grata s in town. ( Not that it seems to bother them very much)

Johnny99
Johnny99
Reply to  Johnny Absurd
4 years ago

Because she’ll retire with 80 percent of her pay if re-elected

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Pittsfield Ma.Mayor Tyer let all department heads do their own thing.Highway was 3 million over and now it’s up to Mazzeo to tell department heads who is Boss.

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

All the department heads need to walk their building all day.

Herb Pease
Herb Pease
4 years ago

Herzig claims to have received a hate note. Is this the real thing or a Herzig Hoax? Does he just want attention?

The school committee
The school committee
4 years ago

Pittsfield taxpayers know that thugare in charge

Agent 86
Agent 86
Reply to  The school committee
4 years ago

huh?

Blare
Blare
4 years ago

Fyi – I am convinced that PoliceReport is David Capeless. Either that, or one of his (few) acolytes. His attacks on Harrington are meant to defend his indefensible record. Do not be fooled.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  Blare
4 years ago

I am convinced you are wrong because I know I am not David Capeless.

PoliceReport
PoliceReport
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

I am also not one of his acolytes.

Actually if your take away is that this is only about DA Andrea Harrington, you are missing the point.

DA Andrea Harrington is a special kind of inept for sure but the real reason our city is as dangerous as it is is because of Chief Wynn. This is compounded by Mayor Kinda Tyer as she had the opportunity to change the path by firing Wynn, and instead of doing well by the city she actually spent thousands to make sure we were saddled with a Chief who has no idea about law enforcement.

Ewendt
Ewendt
Reply to  PoliceReport
4 years ago

PoliceReport, Pay no mind. Late at night, Blare/Cicero/Lucas thinks everyone is DA Capeless when it is merely someone who is smarter than he.

Corn Pop
Corn Pop
Reply to  Blare
4 years ago

He’s not Capeless. On the contrary he’s a caped crusader.