MEXICO — Town officials are in the process of reviewing applications for officers as they seek to reestablish the police department.

Mexico Administrative Assistant Jim Theriault addresses selectmen Nov. 19 on his efforts to recruit officers and reestablish the police department that suspended operations Aug. 20 due to lack of staff. Bruce Farrin/Rumford Falls Times

Selectmen voted 5-0 on Aug. 7 to suspend department operations as of Aug. 20 due to lack of staff. They hired former Oxford County Sheriff Jim Theriault on Aug. 19 as chief administrator of records, evidence and inventory for one year.

The Sheriff’s Office has provided law enforcement coverage since the department ceased operating.

Theriault met with the board Nov. 19 to report on his efforts to recruit officers. He said he had applications from three local people he is seriously considering. All three would have to attend the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro for training to be certified as officers.

Acting board Chairperson Richard Philbrick asked if there would be another police academy training session in January.

There is, Theriault said, but the town could afford to pay for three people at once, but maybe two.

“Well, at least get two going if we’re going to do something,” Philbrick said.

Theriault said he also has an application from a 57-year-old man from Quincy, Massachusetts, who has 15 years of law enforcement experience there. “We’re working together with the academy on a waiver so that he doesn’t have to go to the academy,” he said.

He said he is also in contact with a man from Ontario, Canada, who “really wants to come here.”

The candidate is 31 years old and “all kinds of experience up there. The only problem is that everyone is telling him that he needs a green card or a work visa just to get into the country.”

Theriault said he and the candidate are working with U.S. Sen. Angus King’s office on the matter.

Meanwhile, Theriault is working to get recertified as an officer “so I can do this job the way it should be done. I’ve done 20 out of 21 online classes so far. That’s just phase one. There’s two other phases after that.”

Because he is not certified, the Sheriff’s Office is doing background checks.

In addition to recruiting efforts, Theriault is also taking care of “hundreds” of emails that have been sent to the police department, including bills to be paid.

A resident asked if all the information on reestablishing the department will be presented to voters for a decision.

“I think we should,” Philbrick said.

“I’d like to come up with a system that everyone who pays taxes gets a vote,” Town Manager Raquel Welch-Day said. “I don’t think going online to do that is the way to do it because older people don’t go on.”

She suggested getting volunteers to take the tax list and do a survey door-to-door.

“I just don’t want to leave a taxpayer not able to vote just because they don’t go online,” she said.