ROCKPORT — The Rockport Police Department has a new patrol officer. Jim Moore replaced Jake Grinnell, who left the department in December.

Moore most recently was a patrol officer with the Knox County Sheriff's Office. He began his law enforcement career with the Knox County Sheriff's Office in 1989 as a corrections officer at the Knox County Jail, a deputy for Vinalhaven and North Haven, and most recently as a patrol officer. In between these positions, he took a brief hiatus from law enforcement to work in the lobstering business, but still served in public service as a volunteer firefighter, with the Vinalhaven Fire Department.

Moore said that police work has changed over the years, especially since the 1990s.

"Now local law enforcement officers see so many drug cases and I am very concerned and shocked at the increase in drug abuse in the Midcoast, especially with prescription drugs," said Moore.

Moore comes from a dedicated family of law enforcement and public service. One grandfather was a game warden in Massachusetts and another served with the Navy's military shore patrol during World War II.

His father was a patrol officer for the Knox County Sheriff's Office. One of his brothers is a former Wisconsin state trooper and now a Wisconsin park ranger with police duties. The second brother is Lifeflight paramedic in Bangor and one of his sisters is a paramedic with Delta Ambulance.

Additionally, Moore has three sons and they have served in the Air Force military police and security forces and also as a corrections officer at the Knox and Franklin County jails.

Moore grew up on a farm in Washington and now lives in Thomaston. He attended Medomak Valley High School and the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.

Chief Mark Kelley said, "Moore's wealth of law enforcement experience, his knowledge of the area, especially from living at one time in Rockport, will all be great assets for the department."

Sarah Shepherd can be reached at news@penbaypilot.com