THOMASTON — The Thomaston Police Department have two new patrol officers and with the recent hires, the department is fully staffed.  

Juan Alcala and Noah Stevens were both hired as full-time patrol officers in June.

Stevens first began as a reserve officer with Thomaston Police in June 2017 before he was hired full-time.

He said that his interest in law enforcement began during his freshman year of high school when he participated in the Police Explorer Program, an educational opportunity sponsored by local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies to give young adults a first-hand understanding through practical experience of what police work actually is about.

While he was involved in the program, he met Thomaston Police Sgt. Tim Hoppe, who is now the Thomaston police chief, and who coordinated the program.

During his junior year of high school, Stevens attended the Maine State Police Junior Troopers Program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro.

He is currently a senior at Husson University and is studying criminal justice.

“Law enforcement was something I’ve always wanted to do since I can remember,” Stevens said. “My mother used to be a patrol officer for Camden before I was born and she’s always geared me towards law enforcement.”

Stevens said that he chose the Thomaston Police Department because of the importance it puts on community policing.

“Because we are a small department, we investigate our own cases and you learn to be self-motivated and how to handle yourself in dangerous situations when no back up is readily available,” he added.

Stevens is a native of Owls Head and graduated from Oceanside High School in Rockland.

He will be attending the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in January 2019 for the Basic Law Enforcement training program.

Alcala is a native of Indiana and moved to Maine in 1984. He grew up in Cushing and attended Georges Valley High School.

His professional career included positions at MBNA, later the Bank of America, and for the past 10 years was a private investigator, specializing in workers compensation.

Alcala said he chose working in law enforcement as the next step in his career because he enjoys interacting with the public, feels that it is a rewarding career, and appreciates the ongoing education. He also interacted with law enforcement while he was a private investigator.

“I also like being a role model for today’s youth,” Alcala said.

He said that he has found Thomaston to be a tightly knit police department.

“It’s nice to patrol the streets and have residents wave to you and little kids run out of their houses to meet and talk with you,” he said.

Alcala is involved in the local community as a mentor with the Restorative Justice Program, a member of the Midcoast Recovery Coalition and President of Five Town Basketball along with coaching and mentoring student athletes in Camden, Rockport, Appleton, Lincolnville and Hope. He is a certified IAABO basketball official.

He also traveled to St. Augustine, Florida, after hurricane Irma landed in September 2017. He was part of a team that delivered basic supplies to residents who were hit hard by the destruction and assisted with removing fallen trees and debris that were blocking roads and affecting power lines, all slowing down the recovery efforts.

Alcala will also be attending the Maine Criminal Justice Academy for the Basic Law Enforcement training in January 2019.

Reach Sarah Shepherd at news@penbaypilot.com