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DiPaola remembered for work in the community

Print Posted by Martin Finucane November 29, 2010 02:55 PM

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By Milton J. Valencia, Globe Staff

With funeral arrangements still in the making, friends and colleagues of Middlesex Sheriff James V. DiPaola today remembered his work in the community: in Malden as a police officer; in Middlesex County as a sheriff bringing new programs and equipment to municipalities; and even in Louisiana, where he was one of the first public officials to bring aid after Hurricane Katrina.

“He was not only a great guy, but Jimmy did a tremendous job as the sheriff of Middlesex,” said Medford Mayor Michael McGlynn.

DiPaola’s wife, Adeline, has worked in Medford City Hall for two decades, and McGlynn was close with the family. He said workers in City Hall have offered their condolences to the family, and those who know Adeline more personally have visited her. The mayor said friends are waiting to hear about funeral arrangements.

The arrangements are being made by Spadafora Funeral Home in Malden. A worker at the funeral said funeral services are expected later this week, at the earliest.

DiPaola was found dead in his hotel room in Wells, Maine, on Saturday, a day after checking in. The medical examiner’s office has determined the cause of death to be suicide by a gunshot to the head, investigator David King said today.

Less than a week before his death, DiPaola announced his intention to resign from his post as sheriff in January, following an inquiry by the Globe into his plans to take advantage of a loophole in state law allowing him to collect his pension while also collecting his sheriff’s salary. The same day the Globe ran a story about the resignation, WFXT-TV (Channel 25) broadcast a story, based on the claims of an unnamed former employee, alleging the sheriff had pocketed campaign finance money for personal use.

DiPaola later acknowledged in an interview with the Globe that his office was under investigation by the state attorney general’s office. That investigation is ongoing, a spokesman for the office said.

Malden City Councilor James Nestor said he believes DiPaola, an 18-year veteran of the Malden police, will be remembered in a "very positive" way.”

"I did not see anything like this coming. He was a great guy, a personality kind of larger than life," Nestor said.

Globe correspondent Matt Byrne contributed to this report.