SKOWHEGAN — Deputy Police Chief Donald Bolduc, who has been acting chief since the end of July when Chief Ted Blais abruptly resigned, will be appointed Skowhegan’s new police chief Tuesday night at the regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen.
Town Manager Christine Almand said she considered posting the vacant police chief’s job when Blais left, but found the town had the qualified candidate already on the payroll — Bolduc.
SkowHegan PD Roster
Police radio call number, name
Skowhegan 100: Currently vacant
101: Deputy Chief Donald Bolduc
102: Sgt. Joel Cummings
103: Vacant
104: School Resource Officer David Daigneault
105: Vacant
106: Detective Kelly Hooper
107: Detective Josh King
108: Officer Herb Oliver
109: Officer Tim Williams
110: Officer Michael Bachelder
111: Officer Christopher Viera
112: Officer Ryan Blakeney
113: Officer Katelyn Treylino
114: James Gordon
Source: Skowhegan Town Office
“I decided it would be best to work with the assets that we have within the department,” Almand said. “I have spoken with selectmen and they are supportive of this move. He brings a lot of assets. He’s been in the role of police chief in Millinockett and has been with us for two years and all of the officers in the department are familiar with him.”
Selectmen will vote on the appointment Tuesday at their meeting, which begins at 5:30 p.m.
Bolduc, 51, has been with the department since 2013, when he left the police chief position in Millinocket to be a patrol officer in Skowhegan. In August 2013, he became deputy chief when Dan Summers left to become chief in Lincoln.
On July 27, he become interim chief when Blais, 54, resigned. Blais had been chief since June 2013, replacing Michael Emmons.
Starting salary for Bolduc will be $65,520.
He said the department has 12 police officers, including himself. A patrol officer’s position will be filled Sept. 1, bringing the roster up to 13, with one patrol spot still to be filled and the deputy chief’s position to be filled.
A full complement at the Skowhegan Police Department is 15 officers for a town with about 9,000 residents. The annual budget for the police department already accounts for a full 15-person roster, Almand said.
“I’m happy to fill the position — I was very happy as the deputy chief here,” Bolduc said Thursday. “As the position of police chief is needed, I’m ready to take the challenge.”
Bolduc said his goal as chief will be to concentrate on the presence of drugs in Skowhegan and “be more aggressive as far as trying to put boots on the ground” when it comes to property crimes such as home and motor vehicle burglaries.
One of his ideas is to add a utility officer shift once the department is up to its full complement. That shift would be scheduled between regular day and night shifts to “help the day and the night shift and put an extra person out on the streets.”
“Once we’re full staff, we’ll definitely be able to make a big difference,” he said.
Doug Harlow — 612-2367
Twitter: @Doug_Harlow
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