HOULTON, Maine — The Houlton Police Department is welcoming two new additions to its force with the hiring of Mallory Clayton and Nichole Dudley.
Dudley is a graduate of the Law Enforcement Pre-Service (LEPS) program, which is classroom only, the chief explained. By completing the course, it allows Dudley to obtain provisional status with the department. She must now attend the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro.
“Both officers are going through their field training programs now,” the chief said. “We are looking forward to having both officers join our force.”
Clayton was one of 65 officers to graduate from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy on May 18.
A 2013 graduate of Houlton Middle-High School, Clayton is no stranger to the Houlton area. She is the first person in her family to pursue a career in law enforcement and said she was looking forward to starting her career in her hometown.
“It will be challenging for me,” she said. “Coming back into the community as a police officer, with people remembering me as a young child growing up will be a challenge.”
Prior to attending the academy, Clayton attended the University of New Haven (Connecticut), where she obtained bachelor’s degrees in both criminal justice and psychology.
“The academy was definitely eye-opening,” she said. “It was a lot of hard work, but in the end you see how much it paid off.”
For Dudley, a 2015 graduate of Easton High School, law enforcement is a family tradition.
“My father (Alan) is a game warden in Presque Isle and I have a cousin who works for the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office,” Dudley said. “I was always exposed to law enforcement growing up and really took an interest in it once I got to college.”
Dudley graduated in 2018 from Eastern Maine Community College with a degree in criminal justice.
In addition to the 18-week course load at the academy, the Houlton Police Department requires its new officers to complete a field training course which lasts between eight to 10 weeks. The course involves partnering with a current HPD officer. Clayton will be paired with Cpl. Will Janakis, while Dudley will partner with Sgt. Matthew Quint.
“For Mallory, it has been about a year now that we have anticipated her joining our staff,” the chief said. “And we are hopeful Nichole will start her academy training this fall or next January.”
Clayton and Dudley join officer Jasmine Cyr as three females among the 12 officers on the Houlton force.
