FARMINGTON — Clad in orange with cellphones in hand, participants in Farmington Police Department’s mock jail Friday called family and friends to raise money for their “bail.”

The fundraiser was for Caton’s Crew, the department’s Relay For Life team for the American Cancer Society.

By Friday afternoon the department had about $1,200 in hand and nearly that amount in promised donations, Rachel Heseltine, department secretary, said. Only seven arrests were made, but those seven produced results.

Spouses and friends called the department earlier this week to make arrangements for the arrests. With fake warrants in hand, officers brought the handcuffed subjects to the Hippach Field in squad cars. They were given an hour to raise any amount of money while sitting in the small cell, police Chief Jack Peck said.

Tammy Shufelt, whose husband wanted her arrested on grounds that “she works too much,” went right to work raising bail, about $600 worth. 

Ron Smith Jr.’s wife told police he “takes too long a lunch break.” A couple of Smith’s co-workers at the University of Maine at Farmington’s Facility Management watched as he worked two cellphones. Unfortunately, most of his co-workers had the day off and weren’t there to help, Larry Decker explained.

Karen Rowe was gaining as she reached $195 about noon and said her husband had her arrested because she turned 50 this week.

Detective Marc Bowering and Sgt. Michael Adcock grilled hamburgers and hot dogs to help raise funds.

Another barbecue and mock jail will be held before the June Relay For Life, which will be held at Jay High School due to the renovation project at Mt. Blue High School.

abryant@sunjournal.com