Wilmington Police Chief Calls Audible On Retirement

WILMINGTON, MA -- Hold off on the gold watch and postpone the retirement party. Wilmington Police Chief Michael Begonis won't be retiring in January as originally planned. Begonis met with Town Manager Jeffrey Hull earlier this week and said he wants to stay on to help the town to address a number of issues, including the opioid crisis that has hit Wilmington and other Massachusetts communities.

"In recognition of his nearly 30 years of service in the Police Department with the last 12 years of service in the capacity of Chief, I accepted his letter to revoke his intention to retire," Hull said. Begonis had originally submitted a letter in January of this year saying he planned to retired in January 18.

There were 16 overdose deaths in Wilmington between the start of 2014 and the end of 2016, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. Through the end of September, there had been 40 reported opioid overdoses in Wilmington. In September, Begonis spoke in favor of a controversial plan to build an addiction treatment facility on Middlesex Avenue.

"From the perspective of the police department, we need assistance. We need the help. It's heartbreaking. I sympathize with the folks that live in the neighborhood. I get it - I live in the neighborhood," Begonis said at a September Selectmen's meeting about the proposal for 362 Middlesex Avenue. "I'm not here to tell you if this is the right location or the wrong location. My concern...is there are not a lot of people knocking on our door to help Wilmington specifically. I need beds because I've called at 5 o'clock on Friday night to try to get people help and they're your friends and neighbors."

Begonis is a Wilmington native who joined the police department as a patrol officer in 1988. He also worked as a detective before being promoted to sergeant in 1998, then to lieutenant in 2001. As a lieutenant, he

led the department's investigative and special-services bureau until July 2004, when he was promoted to deputy chief. In 2005, he was named chief

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Patch file photo.

Dave Copeland can be reached at dave.copeland@patch.com or by calling 617-433-7851. Follow him on Twitter (@CopeWrites) and Facebook (/copewrites).