Gorham police are asking those planning to attend Thursday’s funeral service for Officer Wayne “Pooch” Drown to use designated satellite parking lots to accommodate what is expected to be a large crowd of police officers, students and faculty for the 10 a.m. service.

Deputy Police Chief Christopher Sanborn said in a news release that since parking is limited at the University of Southern Maine’s Costello Sports Complex Field House in Gorham, parking around the facility will be reserved for Drown’s family, Gorham police, and for handicapped parking.

The 66-year-old Drown, who died Sunday night at Maine Medical Center from a heart-related issue, was a popular and well-respected officer who served as Gorham High School’s resource officer for 21 years.

Drown was raised in Gorham and has served the town in a number of different roles since joining the Gorham Fire Department as a volunteer in 1974.

In January, the Maine Association of Police gave Drown its Larry Gross Cop’s Cop Award, an award that recognizes an officer not only for their commitment to the profession of law enforcement, but to their commitment to the fraternal nature of the Maine law enforcement community.

Sanborn said the public is being asked to park at the following satellite lots: Galilee Baptist Church, 317 Main St.; St. Anne’s Church, 299 Main St.; and Gorham High School, 41 Morrill Ave. Law enforcement and public safety members can park at the Narragansett School, 284 Main St., behind the Gorham public safety building.

Gorham school staff and students are being asked to park at Gorham Middle School, 106 Weeks Road, or at Village School, 12 Robie St.

Shuttles will be operating beginning at 7:45 a.m. and will run throughout the day. The funeral service is scheduled to start at 10 a.m.

Dennis Hoey can be contacted at 791-6365 or at:

[email protected]