Chief John D. Cartledge was born and raised in Northampton. He attended Northampton High School, Greenfield Community College, Westfield State University, and Capella University, where he earned a Master’s Degree in Public Safety. He has spent his entire career with the Northampton Police Department. Starting as a patrol officer in 1995, he has risen through the ranks and in August of 2015 served as Captain of Operations and then in 2019 moved to Captain of Administration before being named Interim Police Chief. In August of 2024 he was appointed by Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra as the Chief of the Northampton Police Department.

As a Northampton native and longstanding member of the Police Department, he has a strong commitment to the department, community, and progressive police strategies. As an administrator he has overseen the accreditation process since 2007, which focuses on assuring that the department is operating at the highest and most professional level possible. He has also been involved in the accreditation process as an assessor and facilitator for the Massachusetts Police Accreditation Commission, and assisted with numerous other departments becoming accredited. 

Chief Cartledge has attended numerous leadership and administrative trainings including FBI-LEEDA, Policy Development for Law Enforcement, Accountability and Discipline, DOJ Grant Financial Training, The New England Command College, and The IACP Conference. He has also received numerous accolades and departmental awards throughout his career, including Certificates of Commendation, Honorable Service Awards, Grand Cordon Awards, Unit Citation Awards, Physical Fitness Medal, and the Certificate of Excellence from Mayor David Narkewicz. Chief Cartledge also designed the department’s anniversary badge which officers wore during 2009, which celebrated the department’s 125^th anniversary.