By Tiffany Williams –
Westborough Police Chief Todd Minardi has been placed on administrative leave after Shrewsbury police responded to a Friday night call for service involving him, according to the Town of Westborough. The town is taking steps to retain an outside investigator, while Deputy Police Chief Steve Tompkins has assumed the department’s day-to-day operations.
The announcement leaves significant questions unanswered about the circumstances surrounding the call. The town has not disclosed what prompted the police response or detailed Chief Todd Minardi’s involvement.
“After learning of the situation, the Town placed Chief Minardi on administrative leave and began taking steps to retain an outside investigator to look into the matter further,” the town wrote.
The town announced the action in a social media post after becoming aware of the call. Its statement outlined the leadership change and plans for an outside investigation but provided no additional details about the underlying incident.
The decision puts the department’s daily operations under Deputy Police Chief Steve Tompkins while the chief remains on leave. The town’s announcement did not specify how long that arrangement would last or provide a timetable for the outside investigation.
Chief Todd Minardi became interim police chief in June 2023 after serving as deputy chief, according to the police department. He was sworn in as chief of police in November 2023.
The planned outside review now places the circumstances of Friday night’s call under further examination. The town has announced that it is seeking an investigator, but it has not identified that person or detailed the scope of the review.
For Westborough residents, the immediate leadership arrangement is clear, but the reason for the police response remains unexplained. The investigation is ongoing, and the town has provided no further details about the incident involving its police chief.