North Adams Police Chief Wood sues Macksey and the city for wrongful termination, breach of contract

Wood, who took charge of the North Adams Police Department in 2019 , was placed on paid administrative leave in March. By the end of the month, Macksey announced that Wood would remain suspended through the end of his contract in June, citing a lack of trust in his abilities to lead the department. While a public records request by WAMC revealed that a messy extramarital affair had bled into Wood’s professional life, Macksey maintained that a separate undisclosed personnel issue was behind his termination. The May 5th filing in Berkshire Superior Court claims that Macksey and North Adams broke Wood’s contract and calls for his reinstatement as well as compensation for the embarrassment suffered. It also shows that Wood asked for a voluntary demotion to lieutenant in April, and cites his lack of previous disciplinary history over 23 years working for the city. WAMC has reached out to Macksey for comment.