Charles A. Better

Massachusetts State Police — Framingham, MA

Accident Veteran

End of Watch September 28, 1930

Age 31

Tour of Duty 7 mo

The Vigil Panel 60 ›

Gender Male

Incident Service The Sacrifice Department 37

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

Permanent identifier: BO-US-MA-23BBB61F
Stewardship: Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
Added to badge.nw: April 2, 2026
Last updated: July 23, 2026

Honored here by 1 sentinel - 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

Department Massachusetts State Police

Location Framingham, MA

Platform Identity masp.ma.us.gov.nw

Service Record

End of Watch September 28, 1930

Tour of Duty 7 mo

Age 31

Gender Male

Incident Details

Cause Accident

Military Service

Charles A. Better served in the United States military before joining law enforcement. Full service record available on salute.nw.

Patrolman Charles A. Better is one of 10,088 officers lost to accidents in the line of duty across the full record of this memorial — 31% of all 32,508 officers honored here.

In MA, 158 of 469 officers were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 33.7% of this state's fallen. That is 2.7 percentage points above the national rate of 31%.

At Massachusetts State Police, 25 of 38 officers on record were lost to accidents in the line of duty — 65.8% of this agency's fallen.

Massachusetts State Police

of 38 officers

65.8% Accident

MA — Statewide

158

of 469 officers

33.7% Accident

Nationwide

10,088

of 32,508 officers

31% Accident