'Environment of distrust': Leftist MA town administrator targets police chief over 'Trump flags' | Law Enforcement Today

WEST BOYLSTON, MA - A clash over two “Trump” flags between a Massachusetts Town Administrator and the town’s Police Chief, who have served in office for one week and 28 years respectively, has led to the Chief taking time off and filing a formal complaint. The flags were hung in non-public areas of the Police station, specifically an officer’s gym and a men’s restroom.

The first was ordered removed by Town Administrator James Ryan after his introductory walk-through of the station, the second was ordered to be removed and brought to Ryan after he allegedly ordered the facilities director to photograph any flags he could find at the station without police authorization in breach of town policy.

“Either he’s gone or I’m gone,” Minnich said according to The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. “I’m going to take all vacation time until this is resolved. I’m not reporting to the guy. I don’t trust him. There’s no trust there.”

In a three-page letter to the West Boylston Board of Selectmen, obtained by Red Metro Worcester Police Chief Dennis W. Minnich Sr., who has led the department since 1997 explained, “This horrendous action has created an environment of distrust and has already negatively impacted my ability to work against me, my employment and the entire department.” He noted that Ryan’s order to take down the flag, given by phone after the initial tour, was only their second interaction.

He described their initial meeting as a tour in the letter saying, “I just walked him down the hallways and I said, ‘That’s the detectives' office. That’s the sergeants’ office. There’s four of them. This is the squad room. This is where everybody eats. We have a training room,’” Minnich said Friday.

“And, then we went upstairs to the third floor, which no one goes, the public certainly does not. I knocked on the gym’s door. It’s always closed. … I call it the guys’ gym. And there was a sergeant working out and he stopped. … He walked over, shook James’ hand and that was it. Simple.”

One day later, the dispute began with Ryan calling Minnich and ordering him to remove a “President Trump flag” hung from the gym wall. “I was surprised he didn’t address this while we were there but instead chose to call me afterward,” Minnich wrote.

He added, “Nevertheless, I reluctantly complied, after verbalizing that I did not see any harm or lawful violation to hang a flag of the sitting President of the United States. I took down the flag, in front of a member of the Police Department, and sent James (Ryan) a picture as confirmation.”

However, this wasn’t the end of the matter. On the February 3rd, Ryan reportedly contacted Minnich again, this time to inform him that he held photos in his possession proving the flag was not removed. Minnich wrote that Ryan told him the pictures from January 31^st showed flags hanging in the gym and Men’s restroom. Then according to the letter, Ryan accused the Chief of lying to him and questioned the career lawman’s integrity.

Minnich wrote that he “assured him (Ryan) that I most certainly had taken it down and stated that I would not lie about the situation and that if I wanted to push the issue that I would have denied his requiring me to it.”

Speaking to Telegram reporters on Friday he said, “I said, ‘I took it down. That’s impossible. I don’t believe that. And then I said, ‘Who took that picture?’ And he (Ryan) said, ‘I’m not going to tell you.’ And I said, ‘Well, it’s pretty serious because it’s in a secure area and the guys know they can’t do that and I don’t know who would do that. Like, why would you do that?’” 

Minnich then stated that he was contacted by the town’s facilities director who offered an apology and told the Chief that he was ordered to enter the station’s “locked/private and No access to the Public areas without the Chief of Police knowing” and take the photographs clandestinely.

He wrote, “The fact that James would target the police station and myself in this way raises serious concerns. Our department is well-run, and our officers are dedicated professionals who service our community with integrity. We do not receive sustained complaints, and we take great care to ensure the safety and security of our town.

It is now clear that this situation was not just about a flag, it was targeted action against me as the Police Chief. I feel that the Town Administrator unfairly targeted me through his directive to his subordinate. These actions have highly compromised our working relationship. James has been in his role for just one week, and for some reason, he has chosen to single me out, involving another department head in ways that are inappropriate.”

Minnich then requested a review of the matter by the Board of Selectmen.

As reported by the Telegram, Minnich told reporters that the town counsel informed him that he had done nothing wrong and that Ryan should not have ordered a civilian employee to enter the facility and take photos. The West Boylston Police Officers Union subsequently voted no confidence in the Town Administrator’s leadership. The Board will take up the matter on Feb. 18^th after initial meeting times were leaked to the press.