New faces at Scarborough PD

SCARBOROUGH — There are three new officers patrolling the streets of Scarborough thanks, in part, to a $410,932 federal grant.

Administered through the U.S. Department of Justice, the COPS (Community Oriented Policing Services) grant, accepted by the Town Council last fall, covers full salary and benefits for two police officers for three years. In return, the town must commit to keeping those officers on the payroll for at least 12 additional months.

“We were fortunate to be one of only a few agencies in the state to receive this federal award last year,” said Police Chief Robbie Moulton, adding that the third new officer replaces Eric Lippincott, who resigned to be near family in Massachusetts.

The three new officers – Ben Landry, Cody Lounder and Mike Thurlow – were all promoted from the ranks of Scarborough’s reserve officers.

“We have always seen our reserve program as an excellent feeder program for our full-time staff,” said Moulton, noting that he began his career as a reserve officer walking a Higgins Beach foot patrol.

“We invest a great deal of time and energy in our hiring process as we feel it is important to hire the right people,” said Moulton. “It is clear to me that this works as we have very few complaints lodged against our officers, disciplinary actions are minimal, and union grievances have been nonexistent.

“I would, however, note that being a reserve officer does not give anyone a free ride when it comes to our full-time hiring process,” said Moulton. “We judge each candidate on their own merits regardless of reserve status or affiliations with our department, or any other departments.”

Landry, a 2007 graduate of Gorham High School, joined Scarborough’s reserve ranks shortly after earning a criminal justice degree from Southern Maine Community College in 2009.

Lounder grew up in West Bath and graduated from Pine Tree Academy in 2007. He earned a bachelor’s degree in conservation law enforcement, with a minor in psychology, in 2011 from Unity College. He was hired as a Scarborough reserve officer last June, along with Thurlow.

The one Red Storm alumnus among the new hires, Thurlow graduated from Scarborough High School in 2007 and earned a degree in music performance from USM in 2011.

With this round of hiring, the Scarborough Police Department is now at its  “authorized strength” of 37 full-time sworn officers, said Moulton.

The force consists of the chief, two captains, 26 patrol officers, four detectives, one evidence technician, two school resource officers and one community resource officer.

In addition, the police payroll includes 10 full-time and two part-time dispatchers, a marine resource officer, an animal control officer, a crime analyst, two administrative assistants and one custodian.

Scarborough also employs 11 reserve officers for parking enforcement at town beaches and “outside details,” such as events at Beech Ridge Speedway and Scarborough Downs. A Fire/Police unit includes 13 people who respond as needed to direct traffic at major crash and fire scenes and to work special events, such as the polling places, or Summerfest.

Scarborough also has an active VIP (Volunteers In Policing) unit, made up of 12 volunteers who help with handicapped parking enforcement, neighborhood watches, paperwork filing, and special events. The local Explorer post includes 15 young people (male and female, ages 15-21) with an interest in law enforcement who assist the department in a variety of ways.