Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin
By Joseph Cyr
Staff Writer
HOULTON — For the second time this year, a southern Aroostook County law enforcement official has been recognized with a state award.
The Maine Chiefs of Police Association (MCOPA) lauded Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin Friday evening by presenting him with the Chief of the Year award. The presentation was made during the association’s annual award banquet held at the DoubleTree Hotel in South Portland.
“I was very humbled to receive the award,” Asselin said. “One thing you learn as a police chief is to always have a speech prepared. This award meant so much to me professionally and personally, I was at a total loss for words. As a police chief, I can tell you that there is no greater honor than to be recognized by your peers for your dedication to law enforcement and to MCOPA.”
Last month, Lt. Darrell O Crandall Jr. received the 2012 Maine Sheriff’s Association Manager of the Year.
Aroostook County Sheriff James Madore is a member of the MCOPA Awards Committee. The committee is chaired by Dixfield Chief Richard “Dick” Pickett.
“This is a huge honor,” said Houlton Town Manager Eugene Conlogue. “I was very pleased to hear this, but it didn’t overly surprise me because of the caliber of chief we have (in Houlton). He is an exemplary example of the type of person you want and can be proud of as your police chief.”
Asselin has been a member of the chiefs association since becoming Skowhegan’s police chief in May 1997.
“One of the first things I did as a chief was become a member of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids (FCIK), a non-profit organization based in Washington D.C.,” Asselin said. “As a member, I lobbied other police chiefs to join the organization and traveled to Washington on a number of occasions to address Maine’s congressional delegation to support After-School Programs, Head Start and pre-K. On behalf of law enforcement and FCIK in 2005, I spoke before a congressional subcommittee on bullying.”
Asselin began his career in law enforcement in 1975 as a patrol officer with Skowhegan Police Department. He worked his way up through the ranks and was named Skowhegan’s chief in 1997, a position he held for 10 years.
In 2007, Asselin decided a change was in order and decided to relocate to southern Aroostook County, where he was named chief of the Houlton Police Department.
During his time in Houlton, Asselin has been instrumental in instituting many community programs and has helped mold the HPD into a progressive agency. He is actively involved in many efforts countywide, one of which is helping to develop the first task force in Aroostook County on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault.
Some of Asselin’s other notable professional accomplishments and groups he belongs to include:
• In 2012, Asselin was celebrated by the same group with the “President’s Award,” an honor he also received in 2006.
• Being a member of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) since 1997. In 2008, he was designated a mentor for new police chiefs in the state by the IACP.
• Member of the MCPA for 15 years.
• Member of the MDEA Advisory Board representing large police departments in the state of Maine.
• In 2007, he was the recipient of the Pickering Award (chief of the year) by the Maine Association of Police.
• He is a past president of MCOPA (2003-04) and has served as a member of the technical services committee (past chairman); legislative and law committee (past chairman); constitution and bylaws committee; and highway safety committee.
• He is a past MCOPA representative for District 4 (Kennebec/Somerset County) and the current District 8 representative (Aroostook County).
• He is a former board member of the Kennebec Valley Mental Health Center and the Aroostook Community Action Program (ACAP). Asselin became a member of ACAP’s board of directors because of his prior involvement and interest in Head Start, Pre-K, etc. Due to conflicts, he stepped down as a member of the ACAP board in 2012, but Lt. Daniel Pelletier of the Houlton Police Department volunteered to take his place.
