After six months of searching, Damariscotta might have found its new police chief.
Town Manager Andy Dorr announced the town has sent a conditional offer to a candidate for the police chief position during the select board’s Wednesday, Dec. 3 meeting.
After six applications were submitted by the Oct. 15 deadline, Dorr said the evaluation committee as well as Maine Chiefs of Police Association representatives interviewed two applicants.
Both candidates were a “win-win” for the town, said Darryl Day, who was the select board’s representative on the evaluation committee. Both applicants came with decades of law enforcement leadership and community engagement experience.
Day said he agreed with the decision to extend an offer to one of the candidates.
“The candidate that we selected brings … a clear focus on community policing, transparency, and accountability,” he said in an email. “We felt (the) combination of leadership experience and community-centered values made (the candidate) an excellent fit.”
If the offer is accepted, Damariscotta will likely have a new police chief in the next month or two, according to Dorr. He said he cannot offer any additional information on the potential chief at this time.
“We understand folks want answers and just want to know who it’s going to be,” he said. “We’re just walking through the process.”
The news follows a six-month search for Damariscotta’s next chief. The town started the hiring process in July after Jason Warlick announced he was leaving to become chief deputy of the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office.
To keep the community involved, the town gave residents the chance to submit potential interview questions and held a November public forum related to the department’s assessment.
As town officials and the committee worked on finding the next permanent chief, the department found a temporary leader in Phil Tessier.
Before joining the Damariscotta department in 2020, he worked in the Air Force and the Richland County Sheriff’s Department in South Carolina. Tessier had retired as a full-time officer in April, but returned as interim chief on Aug. 1 to assist during the transitory period.
“Folks know him, the officers know him,” Dorr said of Tessier in July. “Everyone thought it would be good to have familiarity in the interim period.”
Due to personal health concerns, Tessier had to unexpectedly cut his term as interim chief short on Friday, Dec. 5. As he finished out his last day, he said he appreciated getting to close his 48-year career by serving as the town’s police chief.
“It was emotional … knowing that I’m never going to work another day in law enforcement for the rest of my life,” he said. “It’s been a long run.”
Reflecting on his four-month tenure as interim chief, he said getting to lead the Pumpkinfest parade alongside his wife was “one of the crowning events” of the past 48 years.
“I just couldn’t think of a better way to end my career,” he said.
As he settles back into retirement, he said he is excited to enjoy more time with his wife on their farm. Tessier was not involved in the selection process for the new department head, but he said he looks forward to seeing how the unit’s success continues to grow under new leadership.
“I just hope the next person is ready to take it to the next level and really connects with the community,” he said.
Seeing as the police department is currently without an acting chief, Dorr said he is working with Damariscotta officers to figure out a solution.
Polygraph exams, a background check, and other precursory tests will be next for the chief candidate. Dorr said he does not have a firm timeline on next steps at this moment, but he will be working with the Maine Chiefs of Police Association in the coming weeks.
The next Damariscotta Select Board meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 17 at the town office. For more information, go to damariscotta.maine.gov or call 563-5168.
