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AUGUSTA — Thirteen new Maine Drug Enforcement Agency personnel have been sworn into office, bringing the drug agency’s personnel number to its largest level in 25 years.
The new agents were sworn in recently at the Maine Department of Public Safety in Augusta and have been assigned to seven of MDEA’s regional task force offices. The funding for the new agents was approved by the governor and state legislature, which increased MDEA’s authorized strength to 53 agents. The new agents bring the total roster to 52, with the last remaining vacancy expected to be filled in the next four to six weeks.
MDEA Director Roy McKinney said the last time there were over 50 drug agents in Maine was in 1991.
The 13 new agents, who are not being named due to the nature of their work, come from five county sheriff’s offices, seven police departments and the U.S. Border Patrol. McKinney said the support from sheriffs and police chiefs to assign their personnel to MDEA has been gratifying as the drug agency continues to deal with Maine’s increased drug problem.
Two of the newcomers have been assigned to the Aroostook County MDEA Task Force Office. The other agents have been assigned to the following offices: York County, two agents; Cumberland County, three; Augusta, three; and Rockland, Bangor and Ellsworth, one each.
Public Safety Commissioner John Morris said, “The new agents come at a time when Maine has seen a record number of overdose deaths, heroin arrests and meth lab responses. The support from the Governor and the Legislature has made the new drug agents a reality and they begin work immediately.”
