The Maine State Police and the Maine State Troopers Foundation have partnered to honor the lives and sacrifices of the first responders who died on September 11, 2001, while raising funds for the Trooper Black Foundation.

From September 1 through September 14, a series of commemorative license plates will be displayed on Maine State Police cruisers throughout the state. The plates will feature designs honoring the heroes lost 25 years ago, along with the Trooper Black Foundation logo-a symbol of hope and support for first responders and their families.

Following the campaign, the commemorative plates will be auctioned to the public, with all proceeds benefiting the Trooper Black Foundation. The foundation provides assistance to first responders and their families during times of crisis or need. The Trooper Black Foundation was established in honor of Maine State Police Trooper Charles Clinton Black, who was shot and killed in the line of duty on July 9, 1964, while responding to a bank robbery at the First National Bank of Biddeford in South Berwick. His legacy of service continues through the foundation’s support of first responders and their families, according to a news release issued through the  Maine Department of Public Safety.

The foundation honors Trooper Charles Black, who was shot and killed on July 9, 1964, while responding to a bank robbery at the First National Bank of Biddeford. The Foundation's mission is: “Providing assistance to first responders and their families during times of crisis or need.”

Maine State Police Colonel William Ross said, “As a former New York City police officer, I am deeply honored that these plates recognize the sacrifices of so many first responders on that tragic day. I am equally proud that foundations such as the Trooper Black Foundation continue to give back to those who put the public first. By displaying these commemorative plates, we hope to convey a message of hope and remembrance to the people of Maine and the nation. This initiative reflects our commitment to the well-being of our communities and to all first responders."

Auction plates will be available on September 15, 2026, on the Trooper Foundation website, www.mainestatetroopersfoundation.org.