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Incident
Patrolman Charles Better succumbed to injuries sustained the previous day in a motorcycle crash while patrolling Route 1 in the town of Danvers. Another vehicle had swerved into his lane, striking him head-on, and throwing him into a stone wall across from the state hospital. The driver who caused the crash was charged with manslaughter. Patrolman Better was a U.S. Army veteran of WWI and had served with the Massachusetts State Police for seven months.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, mother, and sister.
In Our Keeping
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- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Patrolman Better served with the Massachusetts State Police.
Thank you for your service to the people of Massachusetts, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Charles A. Better served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
The Sacrifice · Accident
Massachusetts State Police has lost 38 officers; 25 of them lost to accidents.
Charles is one of 158 officers lost to accidents in MA, 33.7% of the 469 remembered there.
Charles is one of 8,276 officers lost to accidents in the United States, 30% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Charles is one of 10,096 officers lost to accidents worldwide, 29.6% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1930, 1 officer at Massachusetts State Police was lost to accidents, the 4th heaviest of 22 years on record. The heaviest was 1950, with 2.
In 1930, 5 officers in MA were lost to accidents, the 3rd heaviest of 86 years on record. The heaviest was 1934, with 9.
In 1930, 113 officers in the United States were lost to accidents, the 3rd heaviest of 174 years on record. The heaviest was 1929, with 118.
In 1930, 131 officers worldwide were lost to accidents, more than in any other year.
Who
Charles was 31. Of the 25 lost to accidents at Massachusetts State Police whose age is recorded, half were between 28 and 36; the middle age was 32. Charles had served 0.6 years; the middle length of service was 3 years.
Charles was 31. Of the 154 lost to accidents in MA whose age is recorded, half were between 31 and 46; the middle age was 39. Charles had served 0.6 years; the middle length of service was 8 years.
Charles was 31. Of the 7,718 lost to accidents in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 46; the middle age was 36. Charles had served 0.6 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
Charles was 31. Of the 9,452 lost to accidents worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 29 and 45; the middle age was 36. Charles had served 0.6 years; the middle length of service was 6 years.
When
September holds 12% of these deaths at Massachusetts State Police; February holds the most, 16%. Sundays: 12%.
September holds 8.9% of these deaths in MA; August holds the most, 12.7%. Sundays: 14.6%.
September holds 9.2% of these deaths in the United States; August holds the most, 9.4%. Sundays: 14%.
September holds 9.1% of these deaths worldwide; August holds the most, 9.3%. Sundays: 14%.
How
Accident deaths account for 65.8% of all 38 deaths at Massachusetts State Police, the most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 33.7% of all 469 deaths in MA, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 30% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 2nd most common cause.
Accident deaths account for 29.6% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the 2nd most common cause.
His people
Massachusetts State Police has 38 officers remembered here, Charles among them.
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Llewellyn A. Lowther
Sep 20, 1924
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George L. Prentiss
Oct 1, 1927
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John E. Higgins
Apr 14, 1928
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Charles A. Better
Sep 28, 1930
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Charles F. McGonagle
Aug 2, 1932
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Earl W. Tobin
Mar 30, 1934
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Joseph W. Kelly
Jul 23, 1938
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Albert T. Hayes
Feb 9, 1940
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Charles J. Collins
May 20, 1942
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Alfred A. Hewett
Jan 4, 1950
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Daniel Furtado
Oct 8, 1950
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Alje M. Savela
Aug 31, 1951
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Wallace E. Mathews
Apr 23, 1953
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James H. Marshall
Oct 21, 1960
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Robert J. MacDougall
Aug 6, 1971
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Edward A. Mahoney
Nov 21, 1976
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Perley Kenneth Johnson Jr.
Feb 13, 1978
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Donald E. Shea
Dec 16, 1978
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George L. Hanna
Feb 26, 1983
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Joseph Francis Moynihan, Jr.
Jun 19, 1990
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Davidson Gould Whiting
Aug 18, 1994
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Mark S. Charbonnier
Sep 2, 1994
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James Mattaliano
Feb 22, 1995
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Paul Andrew Perry
Feb 22, 1995
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James Brian Malloy
Jan 23, 1997
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Drew C. Chandler
Jul 21, 2000
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Vincent P. Cila
Jul 22, 2005
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Paul Francis Barry
Jun 15, 2006
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Paul McCarthy
Jul 1, 2006
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Richard J. Cashin
Jan 28, 2009
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Douglas A. Weddleton
Jun 18, 2010
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Ellen E. Engelhardt
Jun 1, 2011
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Christopher O’Neil
Feb 25, 2016
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Thomas Lee Clardy
Mar 16, 2016
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Thomas William Devlin
Sep 3, 2020
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Tamar Anoush Bucci
Mar 3, 2022
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Enrique Delgado-Garcia
Sep 13, 2024
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Kevin Trainor
May 6, 2026
Where
Military Service
Charles A. Better served in the U.S. Army before joining law enforcement.
Visit Charles A. Better’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 26-W
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Also Remembered
Others Who Wore This Badge
37 officers from Massachusetts State Police are honored on badge.nw. Showing the 16 most recent.
