FORT FAIRFIELD, Maine — A $30,000 grant will bring a canine member to the Fort Fairfield Police Department.
The grant will cover the cost of the dog, training, outfitting a cruiser and other associated expenses, Police Chief Matthew Cummings told the Fort Fairfield Town Council on Wednesday.
Besides expanding officers’ capabilities, having a police dog could help the department attract prospective officers, Cummings said. That’s especially important since so many local towns, the most recent one being Washburn, have closed their stations and now rely on Maine State Police troopers and Aroostook County sheriff’s deputies.
“It’s key for us for retention of current officers and potential recruitment,” he said. “New police officers are looking for departments with specialties, and if we can have a program like this paid for with grant funding, we should embrace it.”
The funds are from the Massachusetts-based Stanton Foundation, which among other causes supports law enforcement organizations looking to add a police dog.
The process will take about a year, Cummings said. The canine will be trained and certified to search for missing people, including suspects on the run, and to detect narcotics.
The council voted unanimously to accept the grant.
Fort Fairfield will also become the only school district in Aroostook County to participate in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program, Cummings said. His department received a grant to reestablish the program at Fort Fairfield Elementary School. Sgt. Jesse Cormier will soon become certified as a school resource officer and a DARE educator.
Community organizations and businesses have donated financial support for the program, for which Cormier will travel to New Hampshire for training.
Fort Fairfield Fire Chief Michael Jalbert presented the Maine EMS Phoenix Award to three members of the town’s emergency crew for successfully resuscitating a patient experiencing a cardiac event.
Lt. Jack Shannon, firefighter/paramedic John Cummings and police officer/paramedic Cody Fenderson were recognized for their quick action that saved the man’s life.
“This recognition is actually a testament to their professionalism, our professionalism and the PD’s professionalism and dedication to face these life-threatening situations,” Jalbert said. “In some of these cases with a major cardiac event, the success rate is very low so every second counts.”
Shannon was recently licensed as a paramedic as well, he said.
In other business, Town Manager Tim Goff reported fiscal year expenses should come in just under what was budgeted, leaving a surplus of about $200,000. Interest from invested funds garnered about $11,000. The town will end the fiscal year in the black, he said.
“I think we’ve trended in the right direction and it’s really a testament to staff being smart with their purchases, responsible with their spending, and also understanding that cash flow really is our king when it comes to managing our expenses,” he said.
Councilors also ratified Goff’s purchase of a cyber insurance policy for the town and voted to accept an AARP grant for the library to complete a memorial garden dedicated to former employee Rose Elmer. Library staff plan an open house and dedication ceremony on Aug. 24, Goff said.
Nomination papers for town council seats will be available starting July 26. The deadline to return them to the town clerk is Sept. 6.
