The Waterville Police Department won first place in a shooting and physical fitness competition held last week in Scarborough, beating seven other law enforcement teams from around the state.
The two-day event Oct. 6 and 7 was sponsored by Portland Police Department, co-sponsored by the Scarborough Fish & Game Association and held at the association’s large complex.
“I think this was a good opportunity for our folks to compete in this statewide competition and represent the Waterville Police Department, and I think they did a terrific job representing us,” Waterville police Chief Joseph Massey said Tuesday. “They came in first place in what I think is a very challenging and demanding competition in their physical abilities and firearms skills. It’s a very well-recognized competition for top shooters in the state. It just shows their capabilities in demonstrating their skills. I commend them for representing us so well and for doing such a good job. It’s a great credit to them.”
The Waterville team included Sgt. Lincoln Ryder, Sgt. Brian Gardiner, Detective Jason Longley and officers Dan Ames and Ryan Dinsmore.
Other teams were from Portland and Augusta police departments, the Cumberland County and Franklin County Sheriff’s offices (the Franklin team included a Maine State Police trooper), Maine Army National Guard and a Winslow Police Department team that included Waterville police officers Kyle McDonald and Cody Vigue, Winslow police Officer Alex Jones and Oakland police officer Adam Sirois.
Ryder, a member of the Waterville team, said the first day of competition lasted about 11 hours and included a series of 10 shooting events, which took place at five places in the complex. One was at an indoor shooting range in low light, he said.
The second day featured a 3.1-mile running and physical challenges course that included 26 events within that 3.1 miles, according to Ryder.
For instance, the officers came across a simulated accident involving a police cruiser in which officers had to apply a tourniquet to the officer inside the wreck and extricate him. A 170-pound dummy seat-belted in the vehicle was used to represent the victim, he said.
Waterville police received a plaque for their first-place win, and the plaque will hang on the department’s training room wall, Massey said.
Ryder said taking part in the competition helps foster teamwork that hopefully translates to the field.
Waterville has participated in the event all four years it has been held and placed third two years ago, according to Ryder.
He said the department did an excellent job in last week’s competition.
“It was a good team effort,” he said.
Amy Calder — 861-9247
Twitter: @AmyCalder17
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