Robert Haseltine, Rumford’s newest police officer. Submitted photo
RUMFORD — Robert Haseltine will officially start work with the Police Department on Sunday, Chief Tony Milligan said.
The 22-year-old was unanimously approved by selectmen Thursday and started field training Sunday. He moved to Rumford in January and has been working part time for Dixfield and Jay police.
Milligan said he offered Haseltine a $2,000 incentive July 2, as authorized recently by the selectmen, contingent on him meeting certain state law enforcement standards and passing physical, psychological and polygraph exams. The latter two he passed last week.
Haseltine has accepted a minimum three-year commitment of full-time employment after he graduates from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy’s 18-week Basic Law Enforcement Training Program, Milligan said.
“I liked what I read when I took a look at Robert’s resume and had a good feeling that he would be worth investing in,” he said. “I tasked my chief of detectives with conducting a thoroughly aggressive background investigation, which resulted in nothing of concern to me.”
Haseltine was born in Chester, Vermont, and after graduating from high school pursued a career in public safety. He attended Paul Smith’s College in New York where he joined the Medical Emergency Response Team, earned his EMT certification and facilitated training for first responders at the college, all while earning a Bachelor of Science degree.
He took courses to qualify for Maine Criminal Justice Academy certification, completed the academy’s reserve officer training program and worked for the Old Orchard Beach Police Department as a part-time reserve officer in the summers of 2018 and 2019.
“He decided that he wanted to make his full-time career with the Rumford PD and applied for one of three current full-time vacancies we have,” Milligan said
Those wishing to welcome Haseltine may reach him at rhaseltine@rumfordpd.com.
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