WESTBOROUGH – On the day he became interim police chief, Todd Minardi performed a bit of community engagement.
He sat in the “hot seat” at the annual Block Party’s dunk tank, getting soaked time and again.
He did so with a smile on his face.
Community tops Minardi’s list – keeping residents safe, keeping them informed about the department and making sure the department is adequately staffed and equipped.
“I like to think I’m progressive,” he said. “You serve your community. You serve your agency.”
Born and raised in Westborough, Minardi is a fourth-generation resident – his great-grandfather and grandfather ran a funeral home; and his father worked at Bay State Adhesives for 40 years before it closed.
Minardi began his career with the town’s police department in 1993 as a reserve officer. He became a full-time patrol officer the following year, and graduated from Worcester Police Academy in 1996.
Over the past three decades, he has risen through the ranks. In July, Minardi became interim chief when Jeff Lourie left to take the police chief’s job in Falmouth.
Along the way, he’s stored a lot of institutional memory – the way the town has changed, along with the department.
“The biggest change has been the amount of growth in town,” he said. “I remember Otis Street as a windy road” before Amazon and other companies built up the area.
“The police department has changed considerably,” he added, citing the modernization of procedures and policies, as well as technology.
Minardi recalled when the department switched from ink fingerprints to an automated fingerprint system. He said he once surprised a suspect when he ran the fingerprints through the system and came up with a name that didn’t match the suspect’s.
“It’s been exciting to be here,” he said.
As someone who’s been a patrol officer, sergeant, lieutenant and deputy chief, Minardi knows the department well. He said the department could use more staff.
“Based on the staffing studies done in 2018, we are behind,” he said.
But until the department is fully staffed, Minardi said he’s been using “creative ways to maximize officers’ time.”
Another challenge has been staffing the front lobby when people stop by with questions or concerns.
“We have an officer there when they’re available,” he said.
However, when all available officers are out in the field, the lobby remains unstaffed.
“We are in the service industry … We should be there to talk to someone,” he said.
From 2018 until this June, Minardi had served as deputy chief, responsible for the department’s day-to-day operation. In addition to handling budgets and capital plans, Minardi managed to introduce several programs. These included a jail diversion program; having a full-time clinician to help respond to people in crisis; and spearheading the creation of the Westborough Police Foundation.
“I truly believe I’ve made a difference,” he said. “I’ve a lot more work to do, and a lot more to give.”
“Ultimately, I could not be prouder to be leading this outstanding agency in such a great community, and that is because of the outstanding men and women working for the department who are so committed and dedicated to serving and protecting each and every person who visits Westborough, fairly and impartially with compassion and empathy,” said Minardi.
