North Andover Police Chief Charles Gray is stepping down under a voluntary separation agreement with the town, with his departure as chief taking effect Tuesday. The move caps a turbulent seven months that began when the department's two police unions declared they had lost faith in his leadership and demanded he go.
According to a Town of North Andover announcement, Gray notified the town of his decision to retire and will remain on leave, using his accrued sick time, while his retirement application is processed. Acting Chief Steven Diminico has agreed to continue serving in that role while the town works to name a permanent chief, the same announcement says.
Diminico has effectively been running the department since April, when Gray asked to be placed on administrative leave — a request the town's statement notes came shortly after the unions went public with their no-confidence vote. As MassLive reported, Gray was put on paid administrative leave at his own request during a Select Board meeting that same month.
Unions Said More Than 90% Had No Confidence in Gray
The North Andover Patrol Officers Union and Sergeants Union announced on April 8 that their members had voted no confidence in Gray and called for his immediate removal. In a statement posted by the New England Police Benevolent Association, the unions said more than 90% of members voiced an overwhelming lack of confidence in the chief.
The unions' statement pointed to specific grievances, including body-worn cameras and a proposed officer-involved shooting policy that they said had sat unapproved for more than a year. They also said recommendations from an earlier management review had been largely ignored. The report notes the unions framed their vote as a consequence of years of failed leadership, lack of leadership and inaction.
The Fitzsimmons Case Loomed Over the Dispute
News coverage tied the unions' frustration in part to the case of Kelsey Fitzsimmons, a former North Andover officer who was shot by a fellow officer in June 2025. According to the seed reporting from NBC Boston, three fellow officers were serving a restraining order filed by her ex-fiancé, North Andover firefighter Justin Aylaian, when the shooting occurred.
Fitzsimmons was charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for allegedly pointing a gun at the officer who shot her; she said she had pointed the gun only at herself. She was acquitted of that charge in March, in connection with the June 2025 incident, per the same MassLive account. A separate MassLive report from April described a letter outlining the scope of a lawsuit Fitzsimmons' attorneys intended to file against the town.
Town Manager Credits Gray's Tenure Despite the Fallout
Town Manager Melissa Rodrigues said Gray served North Andover as chief and in other roles over the years, including as a K-9 officer, and that he agreed to step aside for the department's benefit. She credited his leadership with creating the department's Community Impact Unit, delivering the first staffing increase in two decades, improving equipment, and moving the department away from Civil Service, according to the town's announcement.
With Gray's separation now in effect, the department's immediate leadership question is settled for the moment: Diminico stays in the acting chief's seat while North Andover searches for a permanent replacement. No timeline for that search has been announced.
