“These so called ‘Orders’ by the Governor are not valid nor (constitutional) and will not be enforced. Respectfully, Dennis Minnich, Chief”
May 21, 2020
masslive.com – A doctor who serves on West Boylston’s Board of Health is demanding the town fire Police Chief Dennis Minnich, after the chief sent an email claiming Gov. Charlie Baker’s “shut down” was “unconstitutional,” according to the Telegram & Gazette.
The town, however, reports the matter is resolved.
The report said on May 17, Minnich sent an email to Karyn Clark, the director of the Department of Public Health in Worcester, which provides health inspectional services to West Boylston.
The email read:
“Karyn, I hope that all is well with you. I am alerting all of our businesses today that this ‘shut down’ is unconstitutional and illegal and that the PD will not enforce any actions by the B of H and furthermore that they should advise the ‘agents’ of the B of H to leave the premises immediately.
“The WBPD will most certainly follow trespassing policies which are to arrest trespasses after notice. Please advise your personnel so as to avoid any issues.
“These so called ‘Orders’ by the Governor are not valid nor (constitutional) and will not be enforced. Respectfully, Dennis Minnich, Chief.”
Dr. John Sullivan, who specializes in allergy and immunology at UMass Memorial and is a member of the town’s board of health, took Minnich’s email as a threat that the chief would arrest public health officials and demanded he be fired, the report said.
“I am absolutely incensed by this email and believe that Mr. Minnich should be dismissed from the West Boylston police Department,” Sullivan wrote in an email to Town Administrator Nancy Lucier on Monday, the report said.
“I find this email unfathomable for a police chief leader in a community trying to manage its way through a life-threatening epidemic,” Sullivan told the Telegram … Read more.
