Maine Department of Public Safety

COMMUNICATOR

Compiled by Steve McCausland, Spokesman

April 26, 2013

 

State Police cited nearly 2500 motorists with seat belt violations during the first three months of 2013.  The Chief of the State Police, Col. Robert Williams, had asked troopers to make seat belt enforcement a priority.  As a result, 2,478 motorists received a summons and another 2,549 were issued a warning.  This year’s effort, doubled the numbers generated by Troopers during a similar effort last summer, when 769 summons and 1,717 warnings were issued.  The Colonel said the increased seat belt enforcement was intended to help save lives. The Bureau of Highway Safety reports that of the 26 highway deaths this year – 12 of the victims were not wearing seat belts.  Williams said, “It’s a proven fact that seat belts save lives, yet half of this year’s deaths involved motorists not buckled up and if they had been – the death toll would likely be much lower.” 

 

 

Maine law enforcement will again collected unwanted prescription drugs Saturday (4/27) and it was another record breaking haul.  Over 11 tons were collected and the Maine office of the DEA is planning a similar event in the fall.  This was the sixth time police have collected the drugs in Maine and in all , over 79,000 pounds of drugs were collected.

 

 

Trooper Kevin Rooney with his dog, Howie, as 14 new canine teams continue to train around the state.

 The water exercises were conducted in small bodies of water near the Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro.

 

Myka is leading Trooper Shawn Porter into the water, followed by Trooper Eric Verhille with Clint and Auburn officer Tyler Hamm with Rocky. The teams come from State Police and several county and local police departments. Most of their training has been on dry land and the teams will graduate June 14 at the academy. 

 

Lt. Don Pomelow of Vassalboro has retired from State Police completing his 25 year career.  For the past six years, he has been the commanding officer for Troop C in Skowhegan and prior to that, oversaw the State Police’s Communications Division.  As a young trooper in 1988, he patrolled in Waldo County and was later a member of both the canine, and dive teams.  Don owns his own construction business and plans to build houses in Washington County.

 

Trooper Dan Deschaine also .  Deschaine spent his entire 25 year State Police career patrolling northern Aroostook County. He joined the State police in 1988 and lives in Westfield.

 

Maine’s police community will gather in Augusta on May 16^th for the annual observance at the Maine Law Enforcement Officers Memorial, next to the State House.  No new names will be added this year to the 83 officers who have died in the line of duty in Maine.  This is the 24^th observance which began in 1989, two years before the memorial was dedicated along State Street. The Maine Warden Service has 15 names on the memorial, the most of any department. The memorial also has the names of ten State Troopers.

 

Two members of the Computer Crime Unit were honored this week for their work.  Det. Laurie Northrup and Forensic Analyst Christopher Hull were presented awards from the U.S. Attorney's Office. Northrup received an award for her efforts in a stalking case, in which a man haunted an ex-girlfriend for years by posting sexually explicit videos to entice men to her home and work place. Hull received an award for his work on a child pornography case, spending hours on the investigation that led to a conviction in federal court.

 

160 fugitives were rounded up and arrested last month in a month long effort by law enforcement in York County.  Many of those arrested had skipped bail and never appeared at their scheduled court hearing for prior charges.  The effort was coordinated by State Police, with assistance from MDEA and the Kittery, Wells, Biddeford and Old Orchard Beach police departments.  In all – there were 194 misdemeanor and 40 felony charges lodged against the 160 persons and the total bail set the group was $206,000.

 

A Glenburn man is the speeder of the week.  Brian Hatch’s SUV was pulled over on the Maine Turnpike in Litchfield after being clocked at 108 mph.  Hatch was cited for criminal speed by Trooper Matt Griffin.