Lawrence chief denies rumors about a mayoral bid

By Russell Contreras, Globe Staff

Lawrence Police Chief John J. Romero put to rest rumors today that he's planning in two weeks to announce he's running for Lawrence mayor in 2009.

"Those rumors are false," he said. "There are no such plans."

But he did not close the door completely on the possibility of running. "The election is 15 months away," he said. "Who knows what could happen?"

In the August 15 edition of Rumbo, a bilingual newspaper in the Merrimack Valley, editor Dalia Diaz wrote in her "Desde Mi Esquina" column that Romero was preparing to make the announcement after talking to likely supporters. "The rumor has been around for quite a while but Romero has been meeting with potential backers and now he had made up his mind to run," Diaz wrote.

Such speculation has created a buzz on Spanish talk radio where callers phoned in to debate Romero's chances against a crowded field of candidates who are seeking to replace Mayor Michael J. Sullivan, who can't run again due to term limits.

Political experts believe Lawrence could be the first Massachusetts city to election a Latino to run a major municipal government.

Romero said he was "flattered" that his name was being tossed around. However, he has no immediate plans to jump in the city's mayoral race.

Romero has led the police department in this largely Latino city for nearly a decade. He has earned praise for overseeing a 30-year low in the number of violent crimes in Lawrence, including a year and a half stint without a homicide.

Russell Contreras can be reached at rcontreras@globe.com.

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