HAVERHILL, Mass. —

Tuesday night's city council meeting in Haverhill, Massachusetts, was packed with police officers who showed support for the town's new acting police Chief Wayne Tracy.

"It feels great," he said. "They've supported me from the beginning, and I can't thank them enough. It's humbling."

Haverhill Mayor Melinda E. Barrett told the city council Tracy is the right man for the moment.

"He has been a steady and reassuring figure within the department for a long time," she said.

The Haverhill Police Department has undergone months of turmoil that ultimately led to a shake-up at headquarters two weeks ago.

The mayor put police chief Robert Pistone on paid leave, and he immediately announced his retirement .

The mayor then named Deputy Chief Stephen Doherty the acting chie

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