SANDWICH – A Republican candidate running for the Fifth Barnstable District State Representative seat is calling on Governor Charlie Baker to oppose efforts to undercut the Massachusetts State Police and other law enforcement agencies.
Steven Xiarhos, a former Yarmouth Police Deputy Chief, sent a letter urging the governor to use the power of his office to oppose and seek reversal of recent actions taken by the MBTA Fiscal and Management Control Board and the UMass Boston Chancellor to deny the use of public resources under their management by the State Police while responding to civil unrest.
“As a former police officer, I know how important it is for law enforcement to have cooperation from fellow agencies in times of need,” said Xiarhos.
“Our State Police officers are available 24/7/365 to ‘answer the call’ when people are in distress. We should be giving them the same courtesy when it comes to their need to share public resources for the public good.”
Xiarhos also repeated his condemnation of recent events in Minneapolis involving the tragic killing of George Floyd.
“We should all agree that hateful actions like those that led to George Floyd’s death are intolerable, and we should collectively commit ourselves to healing the hurt in our community and making sure such acts never happen again, ever, anywhere,” said Xiarhos.
But he added that such actions does not mean it’s necessary to defund the police.
Xiarhos is running against former Sandwich Selectman Tom Keyes for the Republican nomination in the race for the fifth Barnstable District.
Current state representative Randy Hunt is not running for re-election.
James Dever is the lone Democrat in the race.
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