Statement of Steve Xiarhos in Opposition to Police Reform Bill Passed by the House

July 25, 2020

BARNSTABLE – Steve Xiarhos, Republican candidate for State Representative in the 5th Barnstable District, issued the following statement today in opposition to the Police Reform Bill passed by the House of Representatives last night:–

“I am extremely disappointed by the so-called Police Reform Bill passed by the House of Representatives in a rushed vote late Friday night.

Once again, in a disturbing and frightening trend, the Legislature has acted — with limited transparency and accountability — to undermine law enforcement in Massachusetts.

As a former police officer, I know the many stresses and challenges facing those who wear the badge. Additional officer training and oversight are welcome ways to help make sure police are ready for the job. And, it’s always appropriate to make sure that government acts in a way that is free of bias and racism.

However, as a former Deputy Police Chief, I believe the House acted wrongly to strip away qualified immunity protections for officers. As a former school resource officer, I know it is critical to keep a police presence in our schools and to have full information sharing available for our law enforcement efforts. Similarly, no-knock warrants should not be banned. And, while I acknowledge concerns about the misuse of technology, I also worry that banning the use of facial recognition technology will undermine public safety and homeland security efforts.

We need to keep our communities safe, and this bill undercuts police doing that. I urge the Conference Committee to reconsider and eliminate these and other bad provisions.

I’m proud to say I continue to ‘Back the Blue’ and I appreciate the advocacy of the police chiefs, public safety officials, and fellow citizens who have spoken out against this legislation. I also appreciate the work of the 66 members of the House who voted against this bad bill. Let’s all work together as a community to keep Massachusetts safe.”

About Steve Xiarhos

Steven Xiarhos is a resident of Barnstable and a Republican candidate for State Representative in the Fifth Barnstable District.

Steve spent forty years serving the people of Cape Cod as a member of the Yarmouth Police Department, retiring in late 2019 from the position of Deputy Chief of Police. Throughout his career, Steve attended numerous specialized training courses and is a graduate of the Babson College Command Training Course and the FBI Law Enforcement Executive Development Seminar. He is the recipient of 22 various police department awards and decorations including Officer of the Year, Yarmouth Area Chamber of Commerce Person of the Year, Rotary Club of Yarmouth Vocational Service Award, Mothers Against Drunk Driving Officer of the Year, and the Barnstable County Human Rights Commission Rosenthal Award.

Steve also remains active in many charitable and civic causes. This includes, but is not limited to, the Nicholas G. Xiarhos Memorial Fund (which was created in memory of Steve’s son, Nick, who was a Marine killed in combat in Afghanistan in 2009). Currently, Steve serves on the Board of Directors of the Massachusetts Iraq and Afghanistan Fallen Heroes Memorial Fund and the Massachusetts Military Support Foundation; as well as a Volunteer for Wounded Warrior Project Cape Cod Soldier Ride.

Endorsements

Steve Xiarhos is proud to have his candidacy for State Representative endorsed publicly by:

  • State Representative Randy Hunt (R – 5th Barnstable District)
  • State Representative Tim Whelan (R – 1st Barnstable District)
  • State Representative Will Crocker (R – 2nd Barnstable District)
  • State Representative David Vieira (R – 3rd Barnstable District)
  • Barnstable County Sheriff James M. Cummings
  • Jeff Perry (former State Representative and Cape Cod Republican activist)
  • Barnstable Town Councilor Matthew Levesque
  • The Massachusetts Coalition of Police
  • The Massachusetts Police Association
  • Bob Avila, Sandwich Resident and Owner of Captain John Boats

For more information about Steve Xiarhos and his campaign, please visit his Website, www.Xiarhosforrep.com.

About the Fifth Barnstable District

The Fifth Barnstable District in the Massachusetts Houses of Representatives consists of the entire town of Sandwich, plus precincts 11 and 12 in Barnstable, precincts 1, 2, and 7 in Bourne, and precinct 9 in Plymouth.

The Republican primary is Tuesday, September 1. The general election is on November 3.

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