Westborough, Massachusetts – Police Chief Todd Minardi was placed on administrative leave after Shrewsbury police conducted a welfare check and found him asleep in an unmarked police cruiser with two bottles of vodka.
Incident details
On Oct. 23, officers from the Shrewsbury Police Department responded to a 911 call reporting a man who appeared to have passed out in a vehicle near 507 Boston Turnpike. Officer Tyler Vlass approached the cruiser just before 12:30 p.m., opened the door and asked, “What’s going on?”
Chief Minardi, who was off duty and dressed in street clothes, was holding a bottle of liquor in his right hand. Officer Vlass explained the purpose of the visit: “We got a call for your well‑being. The car’s been here for a while, they said. We want to make sure you’re okay.”
The caller, a nearby worker, confirmed he had seen the vehicle the previous day and was concerned about the occupant’s condition.
Response and citations
After being approached, Minardi repeatedly apologized, saying, “I’m sorry,” to both Officer Vlass and Westborough Police Lieutenant Kevin Caviston, who arrived at the scene. An ambulance was called, and Minardi agreed to be taken to a hospital for evaluation.
Shrewsbury officers cited Minardi for possessing an open container of alcohol in the vehicle. They noted that they could not charge him with operating under the influence because the vehicle’s engine was not running when they arrived.
Town actions
Westborough officials announced that Minardi would be placed on leave pending further investigation. The town also indicated it would retain an outside investigator to review the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The incident has raised concerns among residents about police leadership and accountability, prompting calls for transparent handling of the investigation.
Original reporting: 40/29 / KHBS (NW Arkansas) — read the source article.
