March 28, 2024
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Deputies shine for inspection

MACHAIS – Their cars sparkled, their shoes were shined, and their hats were squared as the deputies of the Washington County Sheriff’s Department waited for their first inspection under the new sheriff.

It was all part of Sheriff Donnie Smith’s efforts to make the department more available and accountable to the public.

It began with the deputies lining up their cars on a grassy field at the University of Maine at Machias. There were six cruisers and two trucks.

Standing at attention, the sheriff, along with Chief Deputy Michael St. Louis, inspected not only the deputies’ appearance, but also their vehicles.

Deputy Tommy Chambers was there with his 9-month-old dog, Liberty. Chambers and Liberty are in training to become the department’s new K-9 unit.

Then Smith and St. Louis inspected each of the vehicles including the trunks to make sure each unit was clean and fully equipped.

“I want to tell you how good every vehicle looked here,” Smith said afterward. “I am really proud of you guys. It was a lot of work, a lot of pride and a lot of time, but that’s what this is all about. This isn’t about discipline; this is about pride in the department, pride in the equipment that the taxpayers have purchased for you. I am pleased, really, really pleased.”

Then it was on to presenting Deputy Randy Perry with his new commission. He was promoted to sergeant on Monday. “Your dedication and hard work and leadership skills have been recognized,” he said. More than a month ago, Deputy Travis Willey also was promoted to sergeant within the department.

After the ceremony, Smith said he believed inspections brought professionalism and integrity to the department. “There is hundreds of thousands of dollars of equipment sitting here. We need to make sure everything is at par and the guys have what they need,” Smith said. “We have an inventory list of everything they have so it doesn’t get misplaced if somebody leaves. We want to know we get everything back.”

The sheriff said he was pleased with the inspection and may make it a semiannual or annual event. “This is about image,” he said. “This is our storefront. This is our first line of defense. When people see these vehicles pull up to a scene their first impression is: Is the vehicle neat and clean? I know there’s snow and mud, there’s not much you can do about it. But still, is it neat, is it clean? Is the officer presentable? I think it goes a long way when somebody shows up at a scene.”

Willey then showed reporters some of the equipment deputies carry. He said his cruiser was equipped with a radar detector and an eyewitness camera. He said he also has a laptop so he can do his reports in the field. In Willey’s trunk were a first aid kit and crime-scene and fingerprint kits. Each deputy, he said, carries a rifle, a shotgun and extra ammunition.

“I have a camera for crime-scene processing,” he said. “There is a drug-recognition expert kit. There are three of us in Washington County that are drug recognition experts. It allows us to process people for operating under the influence of drugs.”


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