The following article is written by Wellesley Police Officer Timothy Barros. Officer Barros is a Wellesley native and joined the Wellesley Police Department in 1998. He served many years in the patrol division, and now works as the department’s court prosecutor, as well as the President of the Wellesley Police Department Patrolman’s Association.
In recent years, Officer Barros has undertaken running marathons. His list of successful runs includes the Boston Marathon, Chicago, the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC, as well as Cape Cod. He has been preparing for the upcoming New York City Marathon in November 2024.
Training for, and subsequently running a marathon is an accomplishment for anyone. The Wellesley Police Department is extremely proud of our past and current officers that have undertaken this significant endeavor, and we usually have one or two officers running Boston each year.
In this case, Officer Barros is going to be running the New York City Marathon in honor of Wellesley Police Officer Lamars Hughes. Officer Hughes---Lamars---died in November of 2023 as a result of injuries he sustained from a motor vehicle accident that he was involved in while on duty. The loss of Lamars was devastating to the Wellesley Police family, and we continue to miss him every day.
The Wellesley Police Department is proud of Officer Barros running in memory of Officer Hughes. The article written by Officer Barros begins here:
It has been almost a year since my dear friend and co-worker, Officer Lamars Hughes, passed away. Lamars was a 29-year veteran officer with the Wellesley Police. He was just three short years away from retiring when his life was cut short, and there is a huge hole in the hearts of all that knew him.
Lamars was a remarkable man, and his life journey is one that should be admired. I first met Lamars in 1995 when I walked into Boston Market (back then it was Boston Chicken) to visit a friend who worked there. Officer Hughes was the only patron there at that time. We talked for a couple of minutes and as he left, he said “I’m sure I’ll see you around town”. Who knew just 3 short years later we would be co-workers!
Over the years working with Lamars I learned so much about his life. He grew up in Boston. As a teenager in the mid to late 70’s he was a part of the desegregation of the Boston schools. Lamars attended South Boston High School during the forced busing years. Something that was not easy for him but thankfully sports assisted with being accepted. He used to tell me that playing on teams made skin color irrelevant because the uniforms were the same color. They all stuck together as a team.
Lamars always knew he wanted to be a police officer. He loved helping people. So, in 1993 he took the statewide Civil Service Police Exam. Back then you had to pick four towns to send your test score to. Lamars chose Boston, New Bedford, the MBTA, and….Wellesley! According to Lamars, Wellesley needed a Black officer after the Dee Brown incident, and so in 1994 he became Wellesley’s first Black police officer.
For the next 29 years Lamars was a staple of the Wellesley community and the police department. Everyone knew him. Everyone trusted him. He served multiple positions with the Wellesley Police Patrol Union, including Vice President and President. He enjoyed talking with residents and businesses on his beat. And he enjoyed laughing with everyone. He had the most unmistakable belly laugh that was infectious. Something I miss but still think of on a regular basis.
Lamars was also more than a police officer. He was a big family man. In 2006 Lamars married Angeila, a union that resulted in a blended family of five children and five grandchildren. He regularly hosted BBQ’s and gatherings at his house because he loved having everyone around him. He loved basketball and golf, was a Celtics season ticket holder, and a member of Nehoiden Golf Club in Wellesley.
In early 2023 Officer Hughes was involved in a car accident while on duty. As a result of the accident and the injuries sustained, Lamars was out of work for an extended period of time. We talked every few weeks about work and family life. Every conversation ended with us laughing and making jokes at the other’s expense.
November 13, 2023. I was sitting in my office at the police station when my cell phone rang. As I looked at the screen, I saw it was Lamars’ cell phone. I answered in our traditional banter. “New phone. Who’s this?” The voice on the other sidewas not Lamars but rather his wife Angeila. She was at the hospital. My friend Lamars, a 29-year veteran of the Wellesley Police, had passed away.
Over the next few months, we learned that Officer Hughes died from a pulmonary embolism, resulting from his lack of mobility after the car accident. Something we couldn’t have seen coming. So where do we go from here?
The process has started to get Officer Hughes’ name on the wall in Washington DC as part of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial next year during police week. His name will also be added to the memorial we have in Wellesley in the front of the police station. With the full support of Chief Scott Whittemore and all the Officers of the Wellesley Police, more memorial items are planned for Officer Hughes and Wellesley’s three other fallen officers.
This November I will be running the New York City Marathon. Something that Lamars had suggested I do after running the Boston Marathon. I was graciously given a bib # from a charity. National Blood Clot Alliance - Stop the Clot. I decided to run and raise money for this cause in honor of Fallen Officer Lamars Hughes. I’ll be wearing green shorts on race day as green was his favorite color (Probably because he was a huge Boston Celtics fan).
You can find more information about the National Blood Clot Alliance and my efforts here: https://donate.stoptheclot.org/fundraiser/5621460