CAMDEN — “I have the utmost confidence in our officers that this type of behavior would never be allowed to happen, or condoned, in our agencies,” said Camden-Rockport Police Chief Randy Gagne, as he stood in front of a crowd of peaceful protestors, June 3, reading from the missive he’d posted to Facebook the day before. “Our officers are proud of the badge they wear.”

Just as news was breaking regarding the murder convictions for three more now-former Minneapolis police officers, Gagne used a speaker’s microphone at Camden’s Village Green to speak out against those “individuals” whose actions tarnished the badge and ended a life. He was joined by speakers Rev. Ute Molitor; State Rep. Vicki Doudera; Sen. Dave Miramant; Rev. James Weathersby of Maine's Riverview Psychiatric Center; and White House photographer for the Obamas, Camden native, and mother to a bi-racial child, Samantha Appleton.

Knox County Sheriff Tim Carroll also attended, joining with speakers and the audience for nine minutes of silence in memory of George Floyd, the handcuffed Minneapolis man whose life ended while a police officer kneeled on his neck. 

Gagne has been in law enforcement with Camden for 32 years; four years ago, he also took the lead as police chief to Rockport PD. 

He, too, watched the 8.5 minutes that Floyd struggled, as shown on national news networks.

“The whole time, I’m like, why isn’t somebody doing something?” he said. “I was furious.”

Gagne told the protestors that he’d taught defensive tactics at the police academy. At the academy, he said, they were taught to stay away from people’s necks.

All he could do, after watching that film image, was to write down his emotions.

“It came from my heart,” he said. “It came from what I believe.”

Camden native Samantha Appleton knew of only one black adult while growing up in the Midcoast. Now, as mother of a biracial daughter, she’s learning and living a new reality in Washington D.C. She came to the Camden peace gathering with her daughter, Beatrice, to speak of the future of America. 

“Even working for the Obama Administration did not prepare me for the steep learning curve; it did not prepare me for the beauty and the challenges of having a biracial family,” she said.

Though Appleton’s family has endured awkward situations involving strange looks and racist comments disguised as compliments while in the Midcoast, she stated feeling very fortunate to live here. Yet, America’s history, and world history, are not so far in the past. Appleton spoke of how her daughter’s father once flew in on a late night flight from Maryland to join her in Maine. As he drove into Camden, she said, exhausted and speeding, the blue lights approached and pulled him over. 

“He said that his heart dropped into his stomach,” she said. “He said, ‘this is it, coming to see my baby girl, and this is what I feared in this town.’ He said the cop could not have been nicer, didn’t even give him a ticket – although he deserved it – and he felt comfortable from then on.” 

Appleton said that the police need to be held accountable to the behaviors outlined in Gagne’s missive. The police are there to protect the citizens, not to cause further harm. But, she also stated, that police departments around the country are being scapegoated for issues that are systemic, and it’s far beyond the police force.

“We authorize what our police forces do,” she said. “Although this is a moment, and George Floyd has become this very, very significant clutching point, it’s a problem that wasn’t 8 minutes and 46 seconds in the making. It’s 400 years. We should keep that in mind as we move forward.”

Dave Miramant called upon the audience to use their sadness and anger from what happened to George Floyd as a prompt to challenge injustices as they occur. 

“I believe we each need to look in our hearts and minds, at all the ways we are divisive and violent with those around us,” he said. “And I believe that until we move past our fear of differences, and instead embrace our similarities, the cruelty inflicted on black people like George Floyd will continue.

“I want to leave here today with our voices having joined the chorus demanding that all people hear the words ‘Black Lives Matter,’” he said.

And so, after the finale of nine minutes of silence, the previously silent crowd (aside from some applause through the speeches) took their voices high. George Floyd! they shouted. Black Lives Matter.

Those who have a Facebook account can view the gathering at facebook.com/vickiformaine. 

Chief Randy Gagne’s letter from the heart

Today is the day I can finally put into words my frustrations over the MURDER of George Floyd.

I was taught many years ago that making statements when you are frustrated, angry, appalled, and emotional, is never the time. Although I still have all those emotions, now is the time to put them to words.

I like many, watched an “individual”, who was sworn to uphold the law and to protect all citizens, play judge, jury, and executioner on the streets of Minneapolis.

I watched as other “individuals” took no actions to help a non-resisting, handcuffed man, being held down with a knee placed on his neck.

This man, George Floyd, was pleading for breath, pleading for his mother, and pleading to live.

I watched as citizens with more common sense than those other “individuals”, pleading with those other “individuals” to help this man. This all fell on deaf ears by those “individuals” who took an oath to serve and protect. We all watched a man lose his life on national TV. I refer to those wearing a badge that day, who did nothing stop this action, or to save Mr. Floyd’s life, as “individuals”. Those are not police officers in my opinion. They are a cancer that has infiltrated our ranks. They are the tarnish on the Badge that so many of us wear with pride. They are the ones who ruin the great work done each day by hard working officers around the world.

As Chief of two wonderful departments I assure our citizens that our officers are all appalled by the actions of those “individuals” in Minneapolis. We understand the frustration of citizens with this senseless loss of life. We too are frustrated along with you. We stand with, and respect those who peacefully protest this disgusting act. This should have never happened and should ever happen again. I have the utmost confidence in our officers that this type of behavior would never be allowed to happen or condoned in our agencies. Our officers are proud of the badge they wear. They took the oath to serve and protect all citizens and take that oath seriously. We will never let cancer infiltrate our ranks.

We want to be part of the solution!

Reach Sarah Thompson at news@penbaypilot.com