SHREWSBURY, Mass. — Newly released bodycam video shows the tense moments when police officers in Shrewsbury discovered Westborough Police Chief Todd Minardi sleeping in his department-issued cruiser with two bottles of vodka.
Officers found Minardi asleep outside Star Liquors on Boston Turnpike during a well-being check on Oct. 23, according to dispatch records Boston 25 News previously obtained.
In the video, an officer can be heard telling Minardi that his behavior appeared unusual and that officers needed to make sure he was OK before deciding what to do next.
“We’ll do one thing at a time,” the officer tells him, explaining that someone would come speak with the chief and that police were “not just going to leave you here.”
The video also shows Minardi holding one of the vodka bottles.
He was cited for having an open container of alcohol in the vehicle.
Officers noted they could not charge him with operating under the influence because the cruiser was not running when they arrived.
Dispatch records indicated that the well-being check was prompted by a caller who reported seeing Minardi in his cruiser a day earlier.
The Town of Westborough was made aware of a service call involving Minardi, and he was subsequently placed on administrative leave.
The Town has sought help from an outside investigator to look into this case.
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