Retiring officers leaving mark
on Presque Isle Police Department
To the editor:
Recently you may have noticed the changes in personnel at the police department. You might sum it up with the phrase, “Out with the old and in with the new,” but in reality, the police department is going through a natural turnover of personnel. For me, an officer with PIPD for the last nine years, it appears to be happening so quickly.
I am a training officer for the department, so I am supposed to pass on all my limited knowledge to the new hires, while continuing to learn from my mentors and teachers on staff. The problem with turnover is, I am losing my teachers one by one. These were, and are, the officers I want to be like some day and the same officers I was terrified of when I first got hired.
Even though I was “from away,” these officers decided to mentor and train me anyway. They never made me feel stupid or foolish, even after asking numerous, and I am sure annoying questions daily. Instead they taught me through their experiences, their mistakes, and their successes. They modeled attributes of great law enforcement, having a sincere desire to help people and protect those who cannot help themselves, despite the risks.
As a department we have lost some exceptional officers lately and will continue to lose more in the next nine months due to retirements. Due to the type of work we do and the general public we tend to deal with the most, these officers will retire without much pomp and circumstance, but for some members of the public, they will never forget the officer who comforted them on the darkest day, days they will also remember for the rest of their lives.
I owe these officers everything and I can’t thank them enough. I can only hope to attempt to live up to their lofty expectations and train the new officers as best I can.
I can tell you with confidence that you are being left in good hands because the new officers are smart, enthusiastic, well trained and are well able to handle the challenges this occupation will bring. So here’s to the retired/retiring officers — wishing you a well-deserved 10-7, (Out of service)
Officer Chris Hayes
Presque Isle PD
