Farmington Police Chief Jack Peck, right, welcomes Jacob Richards, left, to the department Tuesday. Richards, currently a full-time police officer in Rangeley, will work his notice and start in Farmington on Oct. 12.

FARMINGTON — Selectmen approved the hiring of a Rangeley police officer and spending $30,000 for reimbursement of training for the new officer.

Jacob Richards of Madrid has conditionally been offered employment with Farmington Police Department, Chief Jack Peck said Tuesday.

Richards is currently working as a full-time officer for the town of Rangeley and has been since February 2016.  

Based on selectmen’s approval, Richards intends to submit his two-week notice to Rangeley on Wednesday and start working for the Farmington Police Department on Oct. 12.

Peck proposed spending $30,000 from the Police Academy Reserve Account to reimburse the town of Rangeley for his training, as mandated by state law, he said. The account currently has $56,000 in it, he said.

Richards graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy as a full-time certified police officer in December 2016.

This hire fills the roster of the Farmington department, something that has not happened since 2009, Peck said. 

After graduating from Mt. Blue High School, Richards earned two associate degrees, one in criminal justice from the Community College of the Air Force and the other, a medical assistant degree from Central Maine Community College, Peck said.

He is currently a student at the University of Maine at Augusta, where he is enrolled as a criminal justice major, he said.

abryant@sunmediagroup.net

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