TO: Members of the Public

FROM: Michael Pighetti

There has been much publicity in the last few days concerning the decision to place me on
administrative leave. I want the community to hear directly from me on these issues so that the
record can be set straight and the facts can be known, including community awareness that my
actions were legitimate, justified and necessary to protect public safety. On January 28, 2021, I
was driving my Town-issued unmarked police vehicle, which is equipped with lights and a siren,
in Milford when I observed a vehicle run a red light into a busy intersection (Congress St. & West
St.). This driving created a dangerous situation. Subsequently, the vehicle traveled north on
Congress St. where it continued to speed, crossed the center line, came close to striking parked
vehicles and almost hit the curbing and sidewalk at Town Park. I obviously was concerned by
these observations, not only based upon the potential harm that it created for persons and property
in the area, but also because it could have been the case that the driver was suffering from a medical
emergency or otherwise was impaired. I activated my vehicle’s emergency lights, but the vehicle
did not stop. With a school zone ahead, the siren on my vehicle was activated - this appeared to
get the operator’s attention and he stopped his vehicle. I interacted with the operator to determine
if he needed medical assistance or if something else was occurring that caused his driving behavior.
I requested assistance through the Department immediately and officers arrived shortly thereafter.
I explained the sequence of events to the officers on scene and advised the officers to proceed as
they saw fit. I issued no orders or instructions to the officers as to what they should do. I left the
scene. According to the subsequent report, the officers assessed the operator and determined that
he was not impaired. A citation was issued for the lack of a valid license and no citations were
issued based upon my observations of the driver’s violations. My justified actions were motivated
solely by the desire to protect the safety and security of our community members.
Recently, I received notice from the Town Administrator of an executive session on Monday,
February 8, 2021. The notice indicated that the purpose of the meeting was to advise me of
allegations that I exercised unauthorized police powers in the law and my employment contract. I
arrived at the meeting prepared to discuss what had occurred. I also asked that the meeting be
recorded. The Chairman opened the session by indicating that he was unsure of the reason for the
meeting, at which point Selectman O’Loughlin advised that he had received information regarding
allegations that I had exercised police powers without authorization. During the meeting, when
the Chairman twice asked if I had anything that I wished to say, Selectman O’Loughlin interjected
that he did not think it would be appropriate to hear from me. Instead, Selectman O’Loughlin read
from a typed motion that an outside investigator should be retained to conduct an inquiry. The
motion included the name of the investigator, a retired individual with known connections to
Selectman O’Loughlin and his law partner, and the hourly rate that the investigator would be paid
for the investigation. Quite obviously, the decision on who the investigator was going to be and
what he would be paid was made prior to this meeting. After the preordained vote to retain the
investigator was accomplished, a motion then was made and passed to place me on administrative
leave. After that point, Selectman Walsh read from a similarly already-prepared motion to install
Lieutenant James Falvey as interim Chief, along with the identification of the terms and benefits
that he was to receive. Media sources, locally and from Boston, had the story within minutes of
the meeting’s adjournment and were aware of information only known to those in the room for the
executive session that night. I am prepared to defend my actions as proper and legitimate, although
it seems clear that a majority of the Board already has arrived at negative determinations prior to
hearing from me and before any investigation occurs.