WISCASSET – Twelve law enforcement officers from five midcoast agencies were honored for outstanding work on drug enforcement operations during the summer and fall of 2007, according to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department.

The officers received the Jeremiah P. Sullivan Award at the New England Narcotics Enforcement Officers’ Association annual banquet held Thursday in Hyannis, Mass.

The midcoast officers were from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, Rockland and Waldoboro police departments, and Knox and Lincoln county sheriff’s departments.

Honored from the Rockland Police Department were detectives Christopher Young and Russell Thompson.

Officer Lance Mitchell of the Waldoboro Police Department received an award.

Honored from the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency were Supervisory Special Agent James Pease and special agents Allen Weaver, Jason Pease, Kirk Guerrette and Mark Damren.

The following sheriff’s departments were recognized:

. Knox County Sheriff’s Department: Detective Sgt. Reginald Walker.

. Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department: Lt. Michael Murphy and detectives Sgt. Kenneth Hatch and Ronald Rollins.

Rockland Deputy Chief of Police Wallace Tower nominated the officers in a letter sent to the New England Narcotics Enforcement Officers’ Association. In his nominating letter, Tower said officers, agents and detectives from the Lincoln County Drug Task Force, Rockland Police Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office and MDEA arrested some 63 people for trafficking in cocaine, heroin and prescription pills.

“At the height of this operation the officers were running four different operations at one time, targeting several different subjects in a single day,” Tower said.

“The officers were able to conduct such large-scale and deliberate functions by their ability to come together as one unit to combat the drug trafficking in Maine.

“During the operation, six handguns were seized and information obtained identified several large-scale cocaine and heroin dealers in New York and New England,” Tower said in a news release.

gchappell@bangordailynews.net

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