ROCKPORT – Rockport Town Manager Jon Duke said Friday, June 12, that Interim Police Chief Chris Young is currently on leave from his position with the Town of Rockport.

Sgt. James Greeley, who joined the department in November 2024, has been named the acting interim chief.

Duke stated in his June 12 Manager’s Report: “Many thanks and appreciation to James Greeley for stepping up from his usual role as Rockport Police Department’s sergeant and into the position of acting interim chief following the leave of absence by interim chief Chris Young. Greeley brings extensive experience, professionalism, and dedication to the department. In November 2024, Greeley joined the department after a long career in law enforcement, largely within Waldo County, and was promoted to the position of sergeant this winter. Our residents should be confident in our interim chief’s ability to provide steady leadership and ensure the continued delivery of high-quality public safety and harbor services to our community. We appreciate James for stepping into these important roles and thank our officers for their continued commitment to serving the residents of Rockport.”

Duke said on June 13 that “I cannot comment more on Chris’s leave but the police department and our officers are continuing to provide the protection and safety our residents expect.”

On Feb. 9, at a regularly scheduled Rockport Select Board meeting, Town Manager Jon Duke informed the Select Board that he appointed Young as interim police chief after Chief Randy Gagne, who served as the Rockport Police Chief since 2016, submitted his letter of retirement on Jan. 23. His last day of work was on Feb. 19.  

When Young was appointed at the interim police chief, Rockport terminated its joint Police Chief services agreement with the Town of Camden.

Young was a lieutenant with the Rockport police department when he was hired as the interim chief. He started his career in law enforcement in Rockport in the mid 1990s under Chief Forrest Doucette and was employed at the Rockland Police Department before retiring in 2021. He returned to local law enforcement in Rockport in November 2024.

Duke also announced in his June 12 Manager’s report that Chris Therrien has been hired as an officer with the department. Therrien began his law enforcement career in 2014 at the Maine State Prison and spent seven years working in the Special Management Unit  before being promoted to Corporal with the Special Investigations and Intelligence (SII) Unit, where he served as an investigator for three years. While at the prison, Therrien also served as a Field Training Officer and an OC (Oleoresin Capsicum) Instructor. During his time with the SII Unit, he worked part-time with both the Searsport Police Department and the Stockton Springs Police Department before joining the Camden Police Department full-time in 2025. Therrien recently graduated from the 49th Basic Law Enforcement Training Program and was ranked eighth in his class.

Reach Sarah Shepherd at news@penbaypilot.com