A Massachusetts police chief is under fire following a recent dispute that resulted in him being threatened with a Taser and eventually placed in handcuffs.
Millville Police Chief Ronald Landry was detained in handcuffs in the back of an Uxbridge Police cruiser earlier this month after getting into a verbal argument with another man.
"It was a horrific event for my family and my property and myself and it was very hard to control my emotions," Landry said to the Millville Board of Selectmen at its Jan. 21 meeting after the incident came to the board's attention.
Landry explained that the argument was with a man who had transported a $30,000 collectors car to him and his son from Florida to KarCraft in Uxbridge. The car was seriously damaged, Landry said.
"That particular driver caused about $20,000 to the car," he said.
The police report showed that Landry was not arrested and no charges were filed but the officer wrote that he detained Landry for assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct and disturbing the peace.
The officer said at one point he had to pull out his taser to get Landry to comply.
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"I never identified myself as a police officer, period," Landry said.
But the police report disputes that reading, "He then asked me if I knew who he was. I told him I did not. He then stated he is the police chief of Millville PD."
NBC10 Boston asked Landry Wednesday outside the Millville Police Department if he could explain what happened but he said he said on the advice of his attorney, he would not do so on camera.
Landry stood by his assertion that he did not identify himself as a police chief to the Uxbridge officer, but that another sergeant on the scene who knew him may have.
"It's an attempt to smear Millville and myself and that's what it's all about," Landry told NBC10 Boston.
Millville's town administrator said this is a personal matter but since the full police report has come out, they will do their due diligence and discuss it in executive session with the Landry at next Monday night's meeting.
