CAMDEN and ROCKPORT — Since 2016, Camden and Rockport had one police chief and the departments were informally integrated in their town responses, when necessary. Now, Camden is to consider appointing the Knox County Sheriff as interim police chief, while Rockport said early last week that it was appointing Lt. Chris Young as its new police chief.

The separation emerged after current Police Chief Randy Gagne (due to retire his post Feb. 19) said Jan. 23 that he would be stepping down as leader of the two towns law enforcement departments and instead will work in Rockland as a patrol officer. Three days after that announcement, Rockport's Town Manager Jon Duke then sent a letter to Camden: 

"The Rockport Select Board met last evening to ratify this notice of termination and further requested mutually waiving the 30-day notice for agreement termination to reflect Randy’s last day of employment.

"Though Chief Gagne’s departure will mark the end of this particular collaboration between Camden and Rockport, the Rockport Select Board and I are eager to find avenues where future collaboration will benefit our taxpayers."

The two towns moved back, effectively, to where they stood 10 years ago, and had for decades prior, each with their own police department and own chiefs.

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.

Currently a lieutenant, Young started his career in law enforcement in Rockport in the mid 1990s under Chief Forrest Doucette, said Duke. He then was employed at the Rockland PD before retiring in 2021. He returned to local law enforcement in Rockport in November 2024.

"While no one wished for Rockport’s current circumstance, our new police department are well suited to take the ball from Chief Gagne and keep running with it to benefit our residents," wrote Duke, in a premeeting memo to the Rockport Select Board.

In the same memo, Duke told the Select Board that the town hired Patrol Officer Mark Tibbetts, who started Feb. 9. Tibbetts was a former Rockport police officer in the 1990s, and who formerly worked at the Knox County Sherriff’s’ Office and Thomaston Police Department.

Meanwhile, in Camden, discussions got underway with Knox County Sheriff Patrick Polky about the future of the Camden PD. Polky himself is a veteran of that town's police department.

On Feb. 17, at a regularly scheduled Select Board meeting, the board will consider a proposal to appoint Polky as interim police chief in Camden, while he continues his duties as Knox County Sheriff.

The,"County, through its elected sheriff, will provide part time services of the sort normally provided by the Police Chief of Town’s Police Department, which will be accomplished through the appointment of Patrick Polky, Sheriff of County, as Interim Camden Police Chief pursuant and subject to the Charter of the Town of Camden," the proposed agreement said.

It would require signatures of Knox County Commissioner Chair Ed Glaser, Sheriff Patrick Polky and Camden Town Manager Audra Caler before it is effected.

In a Feb. 13 premeeting memo to the Camden Select Board, Caler wrote that the interim agreement (read the complete memo and proposed agreement here) rises from Gagne's retirement from the Camden PD.

"Chief Gagne’s leadership has spanned a significant period of change for Camden and the region, and his departure creates a natural transition point for the town," she wrote. "This moment provides an opportunity to step back from an immediate permanent appointment and instead take a deliberate approach to evaluating leadership structure, community needs, service delivery, and longterm options for law enforcement in Camden."

The interim agreement with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office, she wrote, "is intended to provide temporary leadership and management capacity while the Town of Camden undertakes a broader evaluation of its law enforcement structure."

The interim agreement has a shelf life that is not expected to extend beyond June 15, 2026, but it also stipulates that it is of unlimited duration. And, it may be terminated by either party.

With the proposal, Polky, as well as Knox County SO staff Chief Deputy Curt Andrick and Capt. Arthur Smith, who themselves are former Camden police officers, would provide leadership support, wrote Caler.

"This interim arrangement is not a determination about the future structure of law enforcement services in Camden," wrote Caler. "It is a time-limited administrative step designed to support evaluation and informed decision-making."

The agreement language says it is, "to allow Patrick Polky, the Sheriff of County, to provide part time assistance to Town in the oversight and operation of the Town’s Police Department on a temporary basis."

Financially, the agreement, "will be at no additional cost to the Town of Camden," wrote Caler.

"This Agreement is for the provision of temporary and part time services," the language said. "Town agrees to pay County One Dollar ($1.00) for said services during the term of the Agreement."

"Camden already contributes significantly to County public safety services through its county assessment," wrote Caler. "The interim agreement allows Camden to work more closely with Knox County at a leadership level, directly leveraging management, administrative, and specialty resources that are already funded at the County level. It also eliminates duplication of those functions locally during a transitional period."

While the interim agreement would be in effect, Camden is to assess:

• Organizational structure and governance;

• Financial sustainability and cost predictability;

• Long-term capital and facility considerations; and

• Opportunities for collaboration with regional partners.

Current Camden and Rockport police staff

Currently, Rockport has five staff members: Interim Chief Chris Young, Sgt. James Greeley, Officer Dustin Hedgpath, Officer Colby Leavitt, Officer Dan Perez, and Officer Mark Tibbetts.

Rockport Town Manager Duke said Feb. 14 that the Knox County Sheriff's office has withdrawn its, "support for coverage now that we have fully staffed the department. That’s unfortunate as it greatly helped Rockport’s officers focus their efforts when needed most, but we are thankful for the support they provided when we were in need of assistance being so short staffed.?

Sheriff's deputies had been adding patrol support to both Camden and Rockport over this past winter as personnel levels in both towns were low.

Duke said: "Between the retirement of Randy, passing of Travis [Ford], and retirement of Jimmy Moore; it’s been a real year of change for Rockport PD. However, after all of that loss we are in a good position moving forward and now able to avoid significant overtime costs which have plagued us over the last couple years."

Camden Police Department personnel include Lt. Michael Geary, Sgts. Allen Weaver and Wesley Butler, Detective Sgt. Aaron Bailey, Patrol Officers Mark Bennett, Trevor Carty, Christopher Therrien and Paul Thompson, Ticket and Animal Control Officer Spencer Tooley, and Administrative Assistant Jeffrey Sukeforth.

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy at lyndaclancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657