The Camden Select Board has appointed Sgt. Allen Weaver to be the town’s new police chief. The announcement followed an executive session of the Board July 13. 

"Over the past several months, we've gone through a thorough and thoughtful hiring process, with multiple rounds of interviews and meetings involving the Police Chief hiring committee, members of the Select Board, and me in my role as delegated Town Manager," said Jodi Hanson, after the Board exited executive session, July 13. "Throughout that process, one candidate consistently demonstrated the experience, leadership, professionalism, and commitment we were looking for."

She continued: "Many of you already know Allen. He has proudly served the Camden Police Department for the past 23 years, most recently as Sergeant. During that time, he has earned the respect of his fellow officers, town staff, and the community through his steady leadership, integrity, and dedication to public service.

"We are delighted that Allen has accepted the appointment as Chief of Police, and we are excited to see him take this well-deserved next step in his career. Promoting someone from within the department who knows this community, its values, and the exceptional members of the Camden Police Department speaks to the strength of the organization and the confidence we have in Allen's ability to lead it into the future.

"I know Allen is eager to get to work leading one of the finest police departments in the State of Maine, and I am confident he will continue the department's proud tradition of professionalism, service, and excellence."

Weaver’s wife, Kimberley, did the honors of pinning Weaver’s badge to his lapel, a rite of passage in the world of public safety and in this case, law enforcement.

It was a proud moment for the Town of Camden, and for Weaver, who has been with the Camden Police Department since 2003, a constant on the force except for his second tour of duty in Iraq with the U.S. Army, from 2004 to February 2005.

He thanked the Camden Police Chief hiring committee — Rick Bates, Retired Rockport Town Manager; Bruce Boucher, Retired Rockland Police Chief; Ed Boylan, Retired Police Officer/HR Manager, current EMT for Camden Fire Department; and Jodi Richards, Town of Camden Benefits Coordinator/Deputy Finance Director.

“I have been in Camden my entire career,” said Weaver, who graduated from Belfast Area High School in 1997 and then joined the Army, training at Fort McClellan, Alabama, and doing an initial tour during Operation Iraqi Freedom invasion of Iraq from January to August, 2003.

“It is not always the easiest thing to talk about,” said Weaver, who has spent a lot of his time since his deployments helping other veterans return and readjust from wars.

The Veterans Administration’s campus at Togus, “is one of the best VAs in the country,” said Weaver.

It was partially his experience in Iraq that he credits with developing his leadership skills.

He credits his years of experience and all of his time in the military, including leading soldiers in combat, for refining his leadership skills.

“When you have people from all across the country in all different age ranges, the biggest thing you can do is make connections with them,” he said. “Part of leadership is knowing everyone’s personality,” and he said, working with them to solve problems.

Weaver also gives tremendous credit to his father, Allen Arthur Weaver, Sr., who was Belfast’s Police Chief, as well as patrol officer, detective and sergeant there beginning in 1981. Weaver, Sr., also worked for the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency for over 10 years and imparted to his son, before he died in 2019, an appreciation for municipal law enforcement.

His father taught him the value of small town policing and downtown police patrol — “He walked it every day in the small coastal community,” said Weaver, Jr., who is honoring his father in following the family tradition and become chief.

“It does not matter how high you climb in the ranks,” Weaver, Sr., taught his son. “It matters how you stay connected in the community.”

Weaver, Jr., has taken that to heart with his career in Camden. He is often out and about, walking along the sidewalks, at events, at the Camden-Rockport Middle School and other public institutions, standing in a crosswalk directing traffic and pedestrians, always smiling and often chatting with residents and visitors. 

Weaver, who is known for his professional courtesy and kindness, is a familiar and longtime Camden police officer known to many as simply Allen. 

He graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro in December 2005 and was his Class Valedictorian. And as it happens in Maine, where six degrees of separation is often just one or two degrees, his classmate, Jim Greeley, is now interim Police Chief in Rockport.

Weaver started his career under Camden Police Chief Phil Roberts, and was hired by the then, “freshly minted Lieutenant Randy Gagne,” he said.

Since then, he has committed himself to Camden, the community that he loves. 

“Right off the bat, I look forward to creating stability within the Police Department and the community,” he said.

That work begins Tuesday morning, July 14, when he drives into Camden from his home in Waldo, and for the first time in more than seven years, ready to work the day shift.

As Sergeant, and as is the custom of Camden PD, when he was promoted by Gagne he assumed the charge night duty shift, 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. to watch over the town all night long. That now changes, and he and his wife, who owns Glow Salon, in Belfast, look forward to seeing each other more often.

Weaver wants to make the Camden Police Department more visible and approachable. That includes assigning more officer foot patrols, and he himself appearing more on the streets.

He wants Camden to, “be the best community policing department we can be,” with officers being active in the community, and approachable, so that, “anyone on the street feels comfortable to walk up and speak to officers.”

That attitude is built into the department, and officers are encouraged to visit with youth at the skate park on a daily basis, as well as call the elderly with the Good Morning Camden program overseen by Jeff Sukeforth.

Weaver has spoken with School Administrative District 28 Assistant Superintendent Jaime Stone about regularly visiting the Camden-Rockport Middle School, and having lunch with the students once a month, “so they know us and we are there making friends.”

He also intends to continue the cross-town relationship and collaborative law enforcement practices with Rockport. That relationship predates the years that Gagne was appointed the joint Camden-Rockport Police Chief, he said.

Both towns are currently increasing their patrols of roads, given the community concern for speeding traffic. 

“Everyone is in a rush, doesn’t matter what streets you are on,” said Weaver, noting distracted driving and cell phone use while at the wheel. “We are going to do our best and do our part in curbing that."

Weaver also intends to adjust the shifts, adding more time for officers to be on the streets during the day, instead of the middle of the night. He will be creating a 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. shift to help the day crew control speeding.

“When I started, Camden had five bars in town,” he said. “Now Camden’s nightlife is a lot quieter.”

Camden’s Police Department currently has eight officers, and is short one employee. But, said Weaver, he is interviewing a new candidate this week.

“We have an awesome core group of officers in Camden,” he said, with a number of them having had worked at the Police Department for five years, more.

“Nobody is planning on going anywhere,” he said. “They will continue their careers and move up ranks, and attend supervisor school.”

Weaver said he is working closely with Sgt. Mike Geary, who has, "experienced and seen so much over the 37 years in Camden.” On Tuesday, the department will have an organizational meeting to go over plans.

“In all my experience, I know to not come in make complete change from the start,” he said.

As for plans to renovate the town’s Public Safety Building to incorporate improved quarters for the Fire Department, he said: “I know that is a conversation, We share the building now. We get along great with the fire department and firefighters come over every night to invite us to dinner. We have shared the building 24 years.”

He wants, however, to ensure that certain law enforcement regulations concerning access are adhered to in any new designs.

“I don’t think that is going to be a problem,” he said.

As for the relationship with federal law enforcement agencies, including ICE, Weaver cited Maine LD 1971, with which Camden already complies. That law, "An Act to Protect Workers in This State by Clarifying the Relationship of State and Local Law Enforcement Agencies with Federal Immigration Authorities”, clarifies the relationship of state and local law enforcement and prohibits police departments from, “stopping, investigating, interrogating, arresting or detaining a person for immigration enforcement purposes, including in response to a hold request, immigration detainer or administrative warrant issued by the United States Department of Homeland Security.”

“We won’t detain anyone, and that was the policy under Randy,” said Weaver. “We are not federal. We are always going to come to another law enforcement’s aid but we are not detaining.”