Camden may be ready to choose its new police chief by early June.
Town Manager Audra Caler said the town has received eight applications for the position, and the application period has closed.
The town cannot share applicant names or locations, because that information is confidential during an active personnel process, she said.
“The process will involve a structured review of application materials, followed by candidate interviews with a selection panel,” she said. “The panel will include community and professional representation. I am finalizing panel membership now. The panel’s assessments will inform my recommendation to the Select Board, who will make the final decision.”
The town hopes to conduct interviews during the last week of May and bring a recommendation to the Select Board soon after.
Longtime Police Chief Randy Gagne announced Jan. 23, that he was leaving his role as police chief for both Camden and Rockport and taking a new position as a patrol officer in Rockland. Following his departure, the town of Rockport sent Camden notice it was terminating the joint agreement between the towns for police chief services.
Under the agreement, Gagne was always an employee of the town of Camden, but Rockport paid the town 40% of the cost of the police chief position.
Lt. Chris Young was promoted to interim chief for Rockport.
What to do next has become a matter of fierce debate in the town. The Select Board voted to contract with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office on an interim basis until June 15 to oversee administration of the department.
Concerned that the town could cease to have its own police department and chief in the long term and contract with the county, a group of residents and business owners brought a petition to the town seeking to put the question to the voters in the June 9 election.
Because of the pushback, Caler proposed maintaining the status quo in the June 9 budget, but town officials have not ruled out revisiting the idea of contracting the services. Those in favor of the idea argue the county option would not necessarily mean a drastic reduction in services but could provide dedicated officers to cover the town while saving thousands in administrative costs.
Three nonbinding questions will go to Camden voters June 9.
The first question asks if the town should maintain a full-service police department consistent with the traditional level of service.
The second asks if the Select Board and town manager should consider the financial costs and benefits of using an outside law enforcement agency.
The third asks if the town should maintain its own independent police chief on either a full- or part-time basis.
This story appears through a media partnership with Midcoast Villager.
