SALEM — Family, friends and the Salem Police Department are mourning the loss of veteran police Officer Dana Mazola, who died after a car crash.
Salem Police said Mazola was killed in a head-on collision with another vehicle near 321 Jefferson Ave. shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday.
Mazola, who lived in Salem and grew up in Swampscott, was 56. For years, his father, Ernie, owned Mazola’s Corner store and gas station on Essex Street in Swampscott, a popular gathering place in the community.
His wife of nearly 30 years, Florene Mazola, said she was in bed when police officers came knocking on her door to tell her the tragic news.
Florene said her family, including the couple’s 24-year-old twin daughters, Amanda and Savannah, was doing OK, but that they were still waiting for answers about the crash.
“It’s very tragic,” said Florene. “It’s such a loss. He was just the best husband and the best father, the best police officer, the best family man, the best friend, the best son to his father — he used to call him all the time.”
Mazola would do anything for his daughters, Florene said, and loved their family dog, a Jack Russell terrier mix. He had a sense of humor that was unmatched by anyone.
“He was a gentle soul,” said Florene. “He was a man of strength but he was a gentle soul. He was a fair man. He was loved by everyone, friend and foe alike.”
Mazola was with the Salem Police Department for 31 years, which included 29 years in the patrol division, where he worked a number of beats throughout the city, Police Chief Mary Butler said in a statement.
For the past two years, Mazola served in the Traffic Division. He was also a highly skilled background investigator responsible for ensuring the department selected only the best candidates to become police officers, Butler said.
Mazola started his law enforcement career in August, 1988 as a part-time correctional officer at the Salem jail and served as an auxiliary officer in Swampscott. He joined the ranks of the Salem Police Department on April 28, 1989 when he was appointed a reserve officer, Butler said.
He was appointed a full-time officer on July 11, 1990 and has served “faithfully and honorably since,” she said.
“No one could ask for a more loyal, dedicated and committed officer to serve the community and the department the way Officer Mazola did every single day of his 31 years on the job,” said Butler. “He was a man of integrity who had a heart as wide as the whole outdoors. There is not a single officer or employee who knew him, past or present, who is not impacted by the tragic and sudden loss of Dana Mazola.”
In his application to become a police officer with the Salem Police Department, then-civilian Mazola wrote: “My main reason for wanting to become a police officer is that I have an ability to deal well with all types of people — and that is an important aspect of police work.
“In my opinion, a police officer has to deal with the public and I can do that. I enjoy helping people solve their problems and helping them through stressful or traumatic situations,” Mazola wrote at the time.
Mazola wrote those words more than 30 years ago, but lived by them every day of his career, Butler said.
“He treated all people with dignity and respect, and was an outstanding representative of the department, and the law enforcement profession,” Butler said, noting that he will be greatly missed by his brothers and sisters at the Salem Police Department.
In a statement, Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll said she was “absolutely devastated” to hear early Friday morning of the car crash that killed Mazola.
“Dana was a conscientious and professional officer, a loving husband and father, and a devoted public servant to the people of Salem,” said Driscoll. “He was, as we say, the ‘salt of the earth’ — a conscientious rank and file patrol officer who worked hard every single shift.”
On a personal level, Driscoll said their families often attended the same church services and she fondly recalls his two girls helping to keep her energetic, at the time, toddler, occupied while seated in a pew next to theirs.
“Dana had a big heart and was a warm and caring family man,” said Driscoll. “On behalf of the residents he served with such diligence and dedication for 31 years, I want to express my deepest condolences to his wife Florene and his twin girls, Amanda and Savannah, and all of Dana’s family. This is an unimaginable and heartbreaking loss to them and to our whole community. May he rest in peace.”
Mazola lived with his family in Salem, but grew up in Swampscott, where he graduated from the town’s high school.
His friend, retired Swampscott Police Sgt. Tim Cassidy, said Mazola was in his brother’s graduating class at Swampscott High School.
Cassidy said his family and the Mazolas have been friends for a long time, saying that he was sure his father, Ernie, was devastated, as father and son were very close.
Cassidy remembers attending the police academy with Mazola in 1990, along with Swampscott Police Lt. Paul Bartram.
“He was always a great guy,” said Cassidy. “He didn’t have a mean bone in his body. (He was) gentle-hearted, a good family man.”
Mazola was deathly afraid of spiders, which the guys used to tease him about, Cassidy said.
“It’s a big loss to the guys who knew him, that’s for sure, and obviously for his family,” said Cassidy.
Along with several areas police departments, the Swampscott Police Department issued a statement about Mazola’s death on Friday, which noted his connection to the town.
“The Swampscott Police Department offers our deepest condolences to the Salem Police Department following the death of Officer Dana Mazola,” the statement said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the men and women of the department and with Officer Mazola’s family.”
Mazola’s childhood friend, Clare Giuffrida, a Salem resident and former Item employee, said she was “in shock” over his death.
“I went to Tower School with him in the seventh and eighth grade in Marblehead,” said Giuffrida. “We’re the same age, 56. Same class. We didn’t keep in touch, but as soon as we reconnected, we were buddies again. You know how that is.
“I can’t even describe how good a guy he was. He was Sicilian. He used to kid me because I’m half Sicilian and half Irish.”
Mazola was crazy about J. Geils and loved going to the casinos, Foxwoods in particular, Giuffrida said.
“Cops have a bad rap,” Giuffrida said. “They are vilified. Anyone who knew Dana, he was gentle, non-judgmental. I went through a lot where I needed his help. He helped me wake up.”
According to a report from WCVB, the driver of the other vehicle involved in the crash was treated at North Shore Medical Center. Massachusetts State Police are assisting with the crash investigation.
Florene said the family has a simple request for how people can honor her husband’s memory.
“In remembrance of Dana Mazola, if the public could just do a random act of kindness because he was a kind and generous man,” she said. “Let his legacy live on. Be kind and generous and don’t complain. He was not a complainer. He was very easygoing.”
Item reporter Steve Krause contributed to this report.
