WILTON – Police chiefs of Augusta, Gorham and South Portland will conduct the evaluation of the Wilton Police Department. They plan to be in town talking to people Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

Wilton selectmen hired the Maine Chiefs of Police Association to conduct an evaluation of the department in November.

Wilton residents had asked town officials in August to conduct an internal departmental review of policies and practices of the Wilton Police Department prior to hiring a new police chief.

Wilton Police Chief James Parker, 62, resigned as chief in September after more than 30 years on the force. Wilton officer Ed Leahy has been acting chief since Parker’s retirement.

The evaluation differs from the investigation to be conducted by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s Board of Trustees. That probe focuses on the handling of some criminal cases that state prosecutors told town officials they were concerned about.

While that investigation is conducted, Franklin County Sheriff’s Department is handling certain cases, including assault and sexual misconduct involving victims under 18 years of age.

The team reviewing the department’s internal policies and practices will include Augusta Police Chief Wayne McCamish, South Portland Police Chief Edward Googins and Gorham Police Chief Ronald Shepard, said Maine Chiefs Executive Director Robert Schwartz.

The chiefs were selected as the evaluation team because they have no association with the Wilton Police Department, Schwartz said.

The men will be looking at administrative practices, training, procedures, equipment, staffing and administrative records, among other things, to get an overview of the department, Schwartz said.

The team plans to talk to all police officers, the selectmen, the town manager, someone in the schools, as well as randomly selected residents and business representatives in the community, he said.

“We’re not looking for good or bad,” Schwartz said. “We’re looking to find out what people think of the police services in the town of Wilton.”

The chiefs’ team already has copies of police budgets, personnel policies and union contracts.

The team will do the interviews, then each member will be assigned to different areas, Schwartz said.

Once the team is done, a draft report will be given to Town Manager Peter Nielsen to review for accuracy. He will not be allowed to change anything in the report, Schwartz said.

The team will make the changes if errors are made, such as a number on a budget, he added.

A final report will be given to the town manager and selectmen to do what they wish with it.

Once the site reviews are conducted, he said, the report should be ready in 60 days.

The chiefs are volunteering their time.

for the evaluation. The cost to the town for the evaluation is $4,000 plus expenses, which will bring the total to about $5,000, Schwartz said.

“Our mission is to help police departments make better police departments,” he said.