MARCH 2025. Blues Vol 41 No.3

AROUND THE COUNTRYWEST

AROUND THE COUNTRYWEST BOYLSTON, MA.Massachusetts police chief puts himself on leave over Trumpflag dispute with town administrator.By Lance Reynolds,Boston HeraldWEST BOYLSTON, Mass. — Ashowdown over a Trump flaghas erupted in a small WorcesterCounty town as a police chiefsays he won’t report back towork under a town administratorwho demanded the banner beremoved.West Boylston Police ChiefDennis Minnich Sr. is demandingthe Select Board to take actionin light of Town AdministratorJames Ryan’s actions which haveled to a vote of no confidencefrom the police union.Ryan is less than a month intohis role of leading the town ofroughly 7,800 people, on the borderof Worcester.“If that was a Biden flag, wouldhe have said anything?” Minnichtold the Herald. “I have beencranked up ever since. I’ve sleptlike two hours a night. I’m goingafter him and I want him fired. Iwant him out of here.“I have taken all of my vacationtime, personal days, and I toldthe town board that I will not beback until either he’s gone or youget rid of me. And if you get ridof me, I’m not going quiet, andyou’re paying,” he added.60 The BLUES - MARCH ‘25Minnich, a 32-year veteranof the 13-officer department,revealed he put himself on leaveearlier this month in a phoneinterview with the Herald Fridayafternoon. The call came after aletter he sent to the Select Boardon Feb. 4 started to circulate onsocial media late Thursday night.The Select Board is set tomeet in executive session Tuesdaynight to discuss the “formalcomplaint” Minnich filed againstRyan in his letter which detailedthe town administrator’s “highlyunprofessional and deeplyalarming” actions.“I’ve been a cop too long,”Minnich told the Herald. “I lovemy job. I live in town. I have awife and five kids who wereraised here and a farm in town.I’m not going anywhere.”Ryan started as town administrator,a position that carriesa salary of 8,000, on Jan. 21and began meeting with departmentheads and visiting municipalbuildings.A day after Minnich gave Ryana walk through of the policestation, the police chief said he

received a call from the townadministrator requiring that aPresident Trump flag be takendown from a wall inside the department’sgym.Minnich said he “reluctantlycomplied” after telling Ryanthat he “did not see any harm orlawful violation to hang a flag ofthe sitting President of the UnitedStates.” The chief removedthe flag in front of one of hisofficers, sending a photo to thetown administrator as confirmation.Ryan had reportedly arguedthat hanging the Trump flaginside the station was a “civilrights violation.” Minnich said atown attorney had told him thedepartment had the freedom tohang the flags.Tension escalated when Ryancalled Minnich on Feb. 3 sayinghe received photos of inside thestation and that he had confirmationthat the flag had neverbeen taken down, the policechief wrote in his letter to theSelect Board.The town administrator saidhe had photos of both the gymand men’s locker room showingTrump flags being displayed,accusing Minnich of being a liarand “questioning” the chief’s“integrity.”Minnich said all of this came asa surprise and mounted to “seriousconcerns,” not knowing whohad taken the photographs andthat two Trump flags had goneup after the initial incident. Hesaid Ryan ordered him to retrievethe banners and bring them tohis office at Town Hall .Shortly after, Minnich said hereceived a phone call from thetown facilities director who“apologized” for entering thepolice station to take photos ofareas restricted to the publicwithout the police chief knowing,at Ryan’s order.“The director admitted he feltit was inappropriate but alsofelt pressured to do this because(Ryan) was his boss,” Minnichwrote in his letter.Ryan and the Select Board didnot respond to Herald requestsfor comment on Friday.Minnich, police chief since 1997,told the Herald he’s never confronteda situation like this otherthan getting into some “ballgames”with the Board of Healthduring the COVID-19 pandemicover enforcing people to wear“nonsensical masks.”“I’m not a political guy at all,”Minnich said. “I totally supportthe President, Vice PresidentVance, and people know how Ifeel. But I don’t run around towngoing ‘How could you vote forKamala Harris?’ I’m just a Republican.”“For some reason, this guy, Idon’t know if he had heard aboutme or just didn’t like it,” the policechief said of the town administrator.“It seemed to me likehe took a beeline right for myjugular and was trying to toppleme.”In its vote of no confidence,the police union said members“will unify and work towards therestitution of the trust placed inthe Town Administrator’s officeand continue to work collaborativelyto accomplish the commongoals that provide the highestand best service to the citizensof West Boylston.”The town of West Boylston,Massachusetts, voted to fire itsadministrator On Feb 25, followinga dispute over a Trumpflag hanging in the police station.The vote took place during aclosed-door Zoom meeting "todiscuss the reputation, character,physical condition or mentalhealth, rather than professionalThe BLUES - MARCH ‘25 61