FARMINGTON — Police Chief Kenneth Charles told selectmen at their June 10 meeting the Farmington Police Department is fully staffed for the first time since 2009.
There are 14 officers, including the chief and deputy chief.
At the meeting, Charles introduced new officers Robert “Bob” Martin and Chandler Briggs.
“Bob Martin is a native of upstate New York,” Charles said. “He is a retired U.S. Marine. We are fortunate to have him here.”
Briggs is a Mt. Blue High School graduate. “That’s nice when we can bring people up from our community,” Charles said. “He just recently graduated from Central Maine Community College in the criminal justice program, so that’s great.”
“We are happy to be here in Maine,” Martin said.
He and Briggs introduced family members in the audience.
Charles noted community is everything, that it was great having two new officers. “Hopefully that is a good sign of longevity,” he said. “I am really happy to have these two start. They started their field training. It looks like they will be at the (Maine Criminal Justice) Academy for an 18-week vacation this fall.”
Town Clerk Diane Dunham assisted in the swearing in of the new officers. Charles then presented them with their badges.
“On closer inspection, you’ll probably notice that these are a little bit tarnished and worn,” Charles stated. “That’s because they’ve been passed down through generations of officers in the town of Farmington, They’ve got some history on their chests now.”
“That’s a pretty good way to start a meeting,” resident Pete Tracy commented.
Police cruiser donated to education program
Selectmen also approved donating a 2016 Ford Interceptor to the Foster Career and Technical Education Center law enforcement program.
Charles said Rick Billian, who got his start with the Farmington Police Department, is the program’s coordinator.
“Now he’s teaching our next generation,” he noted.
Billian introduced four program students. Gage Broadway attends Spruce Mountain High School; Bella Piccolo, Morgan Kelley and Piper Casey go to Mt. Blue, he said. “Piper just graduated, was our lieutenant,” he noted. “Morgan was our sergeant, will be back next year and these two will also be back next year.”
Casey said she is going to study criminal law justice and do an internship with a police department in North Carolina.
“It is nice to see people coming up through,” Charles said. “When I was here last we talked about what to do with retiring cruisers. One of the things we spoke about was to donate one of the cruisers to the law enforcement program. They don’t have a vehicle that can take an inspection, so they kind of miss out on learning some of those patrol techniques and operating cruisers. How you use the equipment and all those things.”
Charles said Kelly Blue Book does not include police vehicles, but a similar 2016 vehicle on it with 166,000 miles goes for $3,800 to $5,000 or so. The vehicle has equipment that is getting old, has met its life expectancy or won’t fit new vehicles, he noted. “The idea would be to leave that equipment in it,” he stated.
Billian said the program’s car would cost too much to fix. “We have used it a lot in the last two years,” he noted. “We would be grateful to have it.”
Casey said at first she wanted to be a therapist, slowly phased into law enforcement. “Running through traffic stops and using that equipment was what really turned my interest,” she stated.
Selectman Richard Morton asked how often a similar donation would be suggested.
“This would be unique,” Charles replied. “Rick and I were discussing the fact that they don’t have that piece of equipment for the coming year. We had one that’s higher mileage and it’s getting aged, but it seemed it would meet their purposes.”
Charles said something similar might be explored when this vehicle can no longer be inspected. Not every vehicle being rotated out would be asked to be donated, he stressed.
“Anything we can do to keep the school budget down,” Selectman Dennis O’Neil said.
“You said it,” Chair Matthew Smith added.
