CARIBOU – The Caribou City Council on Monday night hired two new police officers, a move that brings the police force back to full staff.
In recent months, the Caribou Police Department lost two officers. One left the force to join the U.S. Border Patrol, and the other was selected to become the city’s new police chief.
After Caribou Police Chief Arthur Gorney retired this summer, Lt. Michael Gahagan was selected to become the city’s new police chief. Gahagan started his new job last month.
On Monday night, Jason Matheson and Shawn Smith were hired to fill the vacancies in the department. Both men were said to be from Aroostook County.
City Manager Stephen Buck said both men are trained, having completed a 100-hour course. One of the two is also academy-trained.
The city will be looking to schedule academy training for the second officer. Buck did not know when that would happen.
“This returns the department to its previous levels of manpower,” Buck said. “It was a struggle to find two trained men.
“There is a shortage of trained young officers in Maine, especially in rural Maine,” Buck said. “There are just not enough openings at the academy to train the number needed.”
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