Residents of Mexico and Rumford have reason to be wary of those sworn to protect them. They also have reason to suspect that, when it comes to criminal accusations, cops may get more friendly and protective treatment than ordinary citizens.

On Thursday, Rumford Police Chief Stacy Carter outright refused to provide a booking photograph of a Mexico officer charged with a crime. The department’s long-standing practice – and one shared by police departments statewide – has been to efficiently provide booking photos when asked for them by the media and the public.

Things were different Thursday when it was a Mexico officer under arrest.

Carter should have just handed over the photo to make clear police in the River Valley have nothing to hide and are, indeed, committed to seeing justice prevail. But, instead, he decided to treat one of his own differently than he would a regular citizen arrested for the same charges.

Carter rightly said he was under no legal obligation to provide the image.

OK, but why withhold this photo when photos of others are so readily provided? Do Rumford police apply different standards to different people?

It’s a disturbing circumstance for any police force, especially one in rural Maine, where citizens feel they know and trust those sworn to carry deadly force to protect them. Moreover, it’s outright discrimination.

Why would the chief of police treat one member of the community differently than another? And, knowing that he does, we are forced to wonder what other kinds of protections Rumford police may provide themselves but not provide to regular citizens.

Mexico police officer Michael Richard seems to be a good cop. He was hired to work for Mexico in 2000 after a 28-year career with neighboring Rumford Police Department. That’s a long time to spend in law enforcement, and if he were a problem employee or public menace, the public would almost certainly know about it by now.

He’s been charged with misdemeanor counts of domestic assault and terrorizing, and the fact that his supervisors felt the need to protect his image beyond the protection offered anyone else does not serve Richard well.

Carter made a terrible public relations blunder Thursday when he decide he would not apply the same standards to police officers as he applies to the general public. He also left Rumford and Mexico residents wondering whether, when dealing with the local police, they will be handled fairly.

For years, Rumford police have been willing to provide booking photos of those charged with crimes in that town.

What changed Thursday?