The Leyden Select Board and Public Safety Advisory Committee are pleased to welcome Chief Palmeri and the Officers of the Bernardston Police Department (BPD) to Leyden. Starting July 1, 2023 Leyden residents will be seeing the Bernardston Police Officers patrolling in Leyden, continuing the protection of our town in a professional and community minded fashion. The BPD is well known in the region and is a highly regarded public safety organization, caring for and protecting those it serves.
"The officers of the Bernardston Police Department are committed to providing professional policing in partnership with our community to earn the respect of all individuals. The officers are well-trained, knowledgeable and fulfill their duties and responsibilities with fairness and equality."
JAMES PALMERI, CHIEF
OFFICERS:
John Richardson
Curtis Weaver
Thomas Chabot
Darren Gale
Mitch Waldron
Jordan Zukowski
Chief Palmeri and his officers are eager to meet Leyden residents and will be stopping in at the Library and Recreation field when there are activities going on to start meeting us and getting to know our town. The BPD will also be available to get your LTC-FID renewed at the Leyden Police Substation or at the Bernardston Police Department which is near the West Mountain Road/South St (Rts. 5&10)/Barton Rd intersection. Call 413 648-9208 to make an appointment. The Firearms Application Form can be downloaded as a PDF through the link at the bottom of this page.
In addition to patrolling, Bernardston Officers will respond whenever anyone in Leyden calls 911 for assistance. All of their officers are also trained medical first responders with fully equipped medical gear bags, including Narcan, in their vehicles. To follow the activities of our Police, you can either visit the Police Dept. webpage: http://townofbernardston.org/index.php/12-police-department or visit their facebook page: Bernardston Police Department, Massachusetts https://www.facebook.com/BernardstonPD
For Non-Emergencies:
Bernardston Police Department
256 South Street, P.O. Box 194
Bernardston, MA 01337
(413) 648-9208 - Station*
(413) 625-8200 - 24 hr. Dispatch at Shelburne Control
Email contact: police@townofbernardston.org
Animal Control Issues/loose dog(s) call:
(413) 625-8200 Shelburne Control
*NOTE:648-9208 is a non-emergency phone line but calls may be routed to the Shelburne Dispatch for answering and to take a message. Shelburne Dispatch will know that they are answering a non-emergency call when they pick up, so a resident should not feel that they are bothering the 911 operators if Shelburne Dispatch answers your call when you call those numbers.
A task force of one Select Board member, one Finance Committee member, and one citizen from each town will be meeting monthly with Chief Palmeri to review how well this arrangement is working for both our towns. Working with Mike Edwards of the Collins Center for Public Management at UMass Boston, the Task Force has prepared a long term agreement that would take effect on July 1, 2023. This Intermunicipal Agreement (IMA) has been signed by both the Bernardston and Leyden Select Boards. You can review the document either at the Municipal Office Building or you can access a copy of it in the documents section below. If you have concerns or questions, please send them to selectboard@townofleyden.com.
