By Jodi Hausen,Staff Writer

WILTON – Selectmen met with representatives from the Maine Chiefs of Police Association at their meeting Tuesday night to discuss the evaluation of the Police Department.

The study undertaken in January by Chief Wayne M. McCamish of Augusta, Chief Ronald Shepard of Gorham and Chief Edward J. Googins of South Portland, was conducted in January and did not reflect well on the department – pointing to poor community relations, unkempt conditions in the public safety building and a lack of appropriate filing systems.

Bob Schwartz, executive director for the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, explained the mission of their report.

“It’s not an investigation, it’s a study,” he said. The intent was to provide guidelines and suggestions to an incoming chief, he said. “Chief (Wayne) Gallant appears to be well on track to work with the report,” he added of Wilton’s new chief, who started in February.

Former Chief James Parker retired last year. Officer Edward Leahy was interim chief when the group conducted the study.

This (questioning session) is normally done before the report is released to the public, he said. The Sun Journal received a copy of the 50-page report on March 22 citing the Freedom of Information Act.

The chiefs spent a total of three days each in the town interviewing people and examining other aspects of the department.

Selectmen had few questions but were concerned with the general nature of the report.

Selectman Rodney Hall asked about a specific statement in the report.

“Since 1995, when the computer system was installed, no reports have been filed in the department,” he read.

Shepard explained that reports had been filed in the computer but that a centralized filing system for paper files was not in place to provide officers working on a case easy access to a specific file.

Selectmen were concerned about the way it was stated, saying the press and public could misinterpret it.

McCamish told them they had no control once the press has “put it to print.”

Russell Black said he thought there would be more specific information. He found the report to be too general and broad.

“The overall report wasn’t what I though we would get,” he said.

McCamish explained that the chiefs spoke with a lot of people, promising them anonymity.

But all three chiefs and the executive director said if the new chief, town manager or selectmen needed more specific information, they would answer their questions on an ongoing basis.

The report, costing $4,000 plus the chiefs’ expenses, was conducted by the three police administrators on a volunteer basis. The fee goes to the chiefs’ association, which is nonprofit and provides services to police departments throughout the state.