Pioneer Times photo/Gloria Austin
PROMOTED — Stewart Kennedy has been promoted to detective with the Houlton Police Department. Det. Kennedy has been with the local department since June of 2008.
By Gloria Austin
Staff Writer
HOULTON — The Houlton Police Department has tapped Stewart Kennedy as its new detective.
Kennedy replaces Kris Calaman, who served as detective for the force since May 9, 2011, resigning from the position in October.
“I want to thank Chief Asselin for the confidence and faith in me to promote me to this position,” Kennedy said. “But, more importantly, I thank God above all for this opportunity.”
There were three applicants for the position, and Houlton Police Chief Butch Asselin said he was “pleased with the nomination.”
All three officers were interviewed and their responses scored by a four-member oral board, which met at the town office. Kennedy was the unanimous choice.
“I had a natural interest in law enforcement probably when I was 14 or 15,” he said. “I started riding with area law enforcement officers while I was in high school. Then, I went onto college.”
Kennedy is a 2006 graduate of the Greater Houlton Christian Academy and completed his associate degree in criminal justice in May of 2008 and his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice in October of 2011. He has been employed by the police department since June of 2008. He is also a graduate of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.
This year, Kennedy has developed both personally and professionally.
“It has been a maturing time,” he said. “I got married, we have a little one on the way and I am growing in my career. It’s exciting.”
Kennedy resides in Oakfield with his wife, Dakota.
“She has been very supportive of me and she understands there are things that happen that need immediate attention, which I may get called out,” he said. “I just want to be the best husband, father and detective I can be.”
As far as stepping into the detective role, Kennedy said it was the encouragement from his fellow officers, one in particular, that meant a lot in his decision.
“Sgt. Crouse has been a big motivator for me since I first came here,” Kennedy explained. “Sgt. Crouse said if I ever got the opportunity to be [detective] I should do it. That meant quite a bit to me.”
Kennedy will primarily work the day shift, but is however subject to call out.
“A lot of patrol cases overlap,” he said. “There may be different patrol officers on other cases with the same suspect. I have had the an opportunity to do a lot of different investigations in a patrol capacity and as a detective, these cases require more evidence processing and interviews. I like to get all the pieces of the puzzle, follow the leads in an investigation and put it all together into a case.”
