OXFORD – Oxford selectmen voted last week to hire Hartley “Skip” Mowatt, a former full-time sergeant at the Paris Police Department, as a part-time reserve policeman.

“We’re tickled to death to get him. He worked for us before and he did a superior job,” said Police Chief Ron Kugell.

Mowatt, who lives in Paris, was a reserve police officer in Oxford before being hired full-time by the Paris Police Department, Kugell said. A year ago, Mowatt was called up to active duty with the Army Reserve. He initially served in Bangor, and was later transferred to Camp Keyes in Augusta. In June, Mowatt asked Paris selectmen if he could return to work part-time while still on active Reserve status. That request was later withdrawn. Under the law, employers are required to hold open a reservist’s job, but the reservist must return to the same position that he or she left.

Kugell said Mowatt’s military commitment will make him unavailable for police work in Oxford Monday through Friday, but that he could work for the town on weekends or at special events.

“Just like any Reserve officer, he’d be able to work for us after fulfilling his obligations with his primary employer,” Kugell said – in this case, the Army.