Maine police officer quits to train Iraqis

LIVERMORE FALLS – A 55-year-old police officer has quit his job, sold his home, and given away his dog named Nuffy to go to Iraq to help train and organize an Iraqi police force.

Sgt. Bruce Benson finished his last shift with the Livermore Falls Police Department on Saturday. He leaves Tuesday for 18 days of training in Texas and Virginia before reporting to International Police Service in Iraq.

“I think I can make a difference in their lives and the people in their community,” Benson said. “It’s going to be a long, hard struggle. It’s not going to be easy, but we have to do it. We’re in this, we have to finish the job.”

Benson’s decision to uproot and leave for Iraq was not fueled by a midlife crisis, he said. And he’s not worried about risk. In fact, he doesn’t expect to patrol the country unless the United Nations forms an interim government.

Though he’s not sure where he’ll be stationed, Benson said Baghdad is a possibility. He signed on for a one-year contract with the security team and expects to be teaching Iraqis how to prevent crime in a nonviolent manner.

Despite the anxiety of heading to Iraq, Benson said there is one clear advantage to leaving Maine especially during this time of the year.

In January, Iraq’s average temperature was 49 degrees, with readings as high as 130 degrees.

“I need to get out of this cold weather,” he said.

Benson came to Livermore Falls in 1980 from Connecticut, where he had served a community of about 65,000 people.