Erik Josephson takes the oath of office as Damariscotta’s police chief in the town office on Tuesday, Jan. 27. Josephson, who has over 30 years of law enforcement experience, said he hopes to provide a stronger connection between the police department and the community. (Christina Wallace photo)
Damariscotta’s new police chief hopes to provide more connection between the department and the community after his swearing in on Tuesday, Jan. 27, marking his first day with the department.
Erik Josephson joins the department after a months-long search following the Aug. 1, 2025 departure of Jason Warlick, who resigned to become chief deputy of the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office. Phil Tessier, a former member of the Damariscotta Police Department, stepped in as interim police chief to assist in the transition period.
Josephson has over 30 years of experience with law enforcement, with tenures with the Cumberland Police Department in Cumberland, R.I., the Woonsocket Police Department in Woonsocket R.I., the Lincoln Police Department in Lincoln N.H., the Franklin Police Department in Franklin, N.H., and the St. Albans City Police Department in St. Albans, Vt.
Josephson said he was attracted to the job due to familiarity with the area, having spent time in Midcoast Maine as a child.
He said his goal is to see what the needs of the community are before he starts making changes.
“I worked for a lot of departments where chiefs have come through the door and they want to do this, that and the other thing, having no idea what their community is about,” Josephson said. “I want to sit down and talk to everybody. See who needs what, what programs can work, what programs can’t work. Design something that’s tailored to the community itself and go from there.”
Although he doesn’t want to create drastic change immediately, Josephson said he potentially would like to start a program in Damariscotta that would regularly provide contact with elderly residents. The program would involve having the police department check in on elderly residents to ensure they are safe and provide assistance when needed.
“I think we can do more. The elderly get forgotten all the time. It’s nice to have contact with them on a regular basis,” Josephson said. “Sometimes they don’t talk to people for days, weeks, or months,” Josephson said. “There needs to be some dignity when you get older.”
The idea is still in the beginning stages, but Josephson said he looks forward to proposing it to the police department in the future.
In his spare time, Josephson said he enjoys riding his motorcycle, fishing, and spending time with his two granddaughters in Vermont.
“I’m usually fresh water, but now I have an opportunity to get deeper into the salt water, so I’m going to take advantage of that,” Josephson said.
For more information, call the Damariscotta Police Department at 563-1909.
