Yvonne Spicer was the first mayor of Framingham, Massachusetts, serving from 2018 to 2022. She was elected during the city’s transition from a town to a city government. Her tenure faced criticism from some constituents due to various reasons, such as perceived lack of transparency, decision-making on contentious local issues, and disagreements over city policies. These factors contributed to a degree of unpopularity among certain segments of the population. However, it’s important to recognize that political leaders often face polarized opinions, and perspectives on her leadership were varied.
This video was posted 4 years ago in October 2020.
THE FOLLOWING WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED 2/18/2020:
What we believe: We believe that Spicer feels unsafe in Framingham, which is why she keeps a personal private police detail with her at all of of her public events both large and small. This practice is very rare for mayors not in major cities. The Mayor is attempting to create a subset of the police to be her private army. This army will contain Lt. Wareham, and Officers Blass and Strange. She wants a “team” to protect her when she goes places in town, and out-of-town. Via FOIA request, we asked for any documentation of threats made against Mayor Spicer.
Can we prove it: Yes, one documented threat against the mayor. We don’t know how credible the threat is. We do know the dates of enrollment for the three officers, Wareham and Strange submitted papers to attend on 7/16/19. Officer Blass submitted on 9/3/19. 9/3 is a magic number, this was the day that Joshua Horrigan was purported to have made a threat, evacuating the memorial building during the meeting of the city council. Was this the only documented threat made against the mayor? If so then, before any documented threat, the private army was already coming together, and that feeling she needed one more body on her team, she tapped Blass during the days of threats leading up to the evacuation of the Memorial Building. (READ MORE)
What we believe: Mayor Spicer’s current security detail, is not a detail, but instead is an on-duty straight-time police officer. Detail work would be a randomly assigned officer, paid privately by the Mayor’s Office, not pulling from regular taxpayer paid on-duty officers. When Spicer is driven by an officer, or has an officer with her at any event, Framingham related or not, this is an on-duty officer. Police officers assigned to the mayor, who are not normally in that role, call it “The Detail From Hell”.
Can we prove it: Yes! On the schedules below take note of December 31st and January 8th. We know on these two days Officer Strange drove Spicer. On December 31st, the mayor was driven to Boston for an event and on January 8th, she was driven to Brookline for Val Krishtal’s funeral. On those two days, we have the schedule and pay-stubs to show that Officer Strange was paid by the city to provide regular police services those days.
What we believe: From September 29th to October 4th, the Chief of Police, sent Wareham, Blass, and Strange to a specialized 5-day (9/30-10/4) course at the Foreign Affairs Security Training Center in Blackstone VA to become a certified Diplomatic Security Service, Protective Security Law Enforcement Officer. All costs for the course, travel, lodging, and food were reimbursed to the officers.
Can we prove it: Yes. Officer Strange and Wareham were the first to be enrolled in the course and their Professional Development Request Forms both were submitted on July 16,2019. Blass was later added and his form was submitted on September 3, 2019.
We received all the reimbursement information we requested, for example Officer Strange, had lodging costs of $624.91 and $302.20 for meals reimbursed to him. We believe that Strange hitched a ride down with Officer Wareham. For Officer Blass, he had lodging reimbursed to him at $520.75, meals at $239.39, airfare, baggage and ground transit at $722.98. Wareham was allowed to drive his own vehicle to Virginia. For this, he topped all of the other’s transportation expenses. For mileage reimbursements he received $910.25 and hit tolls were $71.70. He driving cost almost $1000… But wait, there’s more. All three officers stayed at the Holiday Inn in South Hill VA. This hotel was 29.2 miles from the site of the class, and one day the class was held 54.9 miles from the hotel. For this travel between the hotel and the class sites, 343.4 miles were reimbursed at $165.30. There were hotels of the same quality and rate in Blacksburg VA, we do not know why they chose to stay so far away from the class sites.
Officer Strange’s most extravagant meal was a supper of Fried Calamari, a Quesadilla, and a full rack of ribs with a upcharged salad for $46.14 including tip at Kahill’s Restaurant in South Hill, VA. Officer Blass, he splurged, picking fried calamari, filet mignon, rare, mashed potato, and an upcharged salad, on the same night and at the same restaurant. His total with tip was $51.73. Before getting on the plane to start his trip Blass enjoyed a Blueberry Beer at Boston Beer Works (not reimbursed). Wareham splurged on a separate night, spending $29.99 on “Open Food” and $10.99 at Kahill’s Restaurant. His total for that meal $45.40, gratuity paid is not known.
The City has told us that the cost to complete this course was $0. For good measure we submitted a FOIA to the US Dept of State. If we find out the city lied to us. We will hold their toes to the fire.
Without the cost of the class itself, if any, the total reimbursements paid to these three officers to be trained to drive dignitaries, cost taxpayers over $4000.
What we believe: Ahead of Mayor Spicer’s trip to Elizabeth Warren’s mid-morning New Years Eve Day trip to Boston, where Officer Strange was her on-duty driver and security, Strange did a day of recon in Boston to study the building, escape routes, and security protocols in and near the Old South Meeting House, the site of the event. As an on-duty officer, outside of the city of Framingham, the moment he leaves the municipality, loses his police functionality, becoming essentially a citizen with a gun, while being paid by the municipality.
Can we prove it: Yes and No. We can’t prove that Officer Strange spent the day prior doing reconnaissance work of the Old South Meeting House in Boston, but multiple highly reputable sources have confirmed this. We do know for a fact that on on the day of an Elizabeth Warren fundraiser, Officer Strange drove Mayor Spicer to the even, acted as her protection during the event, and drove her home following the event. We know for a fact that Officer Strange was scheduled on his regular shift, that day.
What we believe: Mayor Spicer really likes Officer Strange… They are buds. Mayor Spicer has spoken with the Chief and wants to issue Officer Strange a take-home vehicle so that he can her “protection” on-call.
Can we prove it: No, our FOIA request found no responsive documents. While we can’t prove it, we still believe it to be true.
Circling Back: The Mayor’s Personal Army is real. They are trained, and they are ready to take a bullet for her.
If you see them out and about, driving the mayor, or beside her at events, Framingham related or not, they are being paid out of your pockets.
A precedent has been set, this army has in the past protected Mayor Spicer at events non-related to her job function, such as an Elizabeth Warren fundraiser, and it was okay for her to do it. It is highly likely that she will continue down this path.
Meet your certified army of Mayoral protectors.
As for the true purpose of this State Department level training, Officer Strange clarifies it for us on his FPD Professional Development Request Form… for the “Mayor’s Security Detail”.
