HAVERHILL — The death of a Haverhill police officer does not appear to be suspicious and occurred at a private residence, according to the Essex County District Attorney’s Office.
The Haverhill Police Department confirmed the death of an unidentified female officer on Friday, according to a statement by Police Chief Robert Pistone.
Her name will not be released by the Police Department, Pistone said in a prepared statement.
“Out of respect for the officer’s family and their privacy, we will not be releasing the officer’s name,” he said. “All unattended deaths are investigated by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. There does not appear to be any foul play, and the cause of death remains unknown pending an autopsy by the medical examiner’s office.”
The Haverhill Police Patrolman’s Association mourned the officer’s death.
“We lost our sister in arms – a dedicated officer whose presence left a lasting impact on everyone she served beside,” the association wrote in prepared statement. “She was more than a colleague; she was family. Her quiet strength, unwavering integrity, and fierce loyalty to her duty set a powerful example for all of us. She approached each challenge with grace and resilience, never backing down when others needed her most.”
Pistone noted that the officer “served our community with grace, compassion, kindness, and professionalism, and will be deeply missed.”
He also thanked various agencies for offering their help following the officer’s untimely death.
“The department is grateful to the community for their support thus far, and to the many area police departments, the Massachusetts State Police, and Essex County Sheriff’s Department who have assisted with the coverage of shifts during the last 24 hours,” Pistone said.
Mayor Melinda Barrett said that “on behalf of the City of Haverhill, I want to extend our deepest sympathy to the officer’s family, friends, fellow officers, and loved ones.”
The death is under investigation by the DA’s Office.
Later Friday, both the Haverhill Police Department and the Haverhill Police Patrolman’s Association posted photographs of an officer’s badge with a mourning band – a black band wrapped around the badge as a symbol of the loss of a fellow officer.
While authorities have not confirmed the location where the incident occurred, there was a lot of police activity in the area of Summer Street and Bartlett Avenue throughout Friday morning.