Friday May 4, 2012

Recently the annual town report for Becket came out and I am appalled. Police Chief William Elovirta thanked all the officers by name "who have supported me through this past year of turmoil" -- except one, Sergeant Marc Portieri. Sgt. Portieri is a 17-year veteran of the Becket PD. The only officer who has been with us longer is Mr. Elovirta. He is the only officer on the force applying for the position of police chief. Do you think it’s a coincidence he wasn’t named? I think not. I found this to be both childish and extremely disrespectful.

The overwhelming amount of support from the community for Sgt. Portieri has been amazing. He has given our town 17 years of service and has a tremendous rapport with the community. He should have automatically been given the position, but instead he has to fight for it. Mr. Elovirta didn’t have to fight when he became chief as it was given to him on a silver platter. At the urging of Mr. Elovirta the powers that be in town actually tried to make the requirements so stringent that Sgt. Portieri wouldn’t qualify; Bachelor’s degree etc. Let’s remember that the current police chief only has a high school diploma. Thanks to Selectman George Fuller the requirements now allow for Sgt. Portieri to apply.

Now that Mr. Elovirta is retiring from the police department he is running for selectman. I believe, as do many others, that he doesn’t want to give up the control

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he has in this town. Many residents believe that should he become selectman the police department wouldn’t be his top priority. Wake up people! The time has come for a changing of the guard. It is time for Mr. Elovirta to retire from all positions in this town -- enough is enough.

For these reasons and many others I will be voting for George Fuller for selectman. He has proven to be a great asset to the town of Becket, Good luck, George.

ANGELA HILTON

Becket