RUMFORD — Resident Bethany McInnis walked up to the podium at the start of the May 7 select board meeting and said, “I’m a domestic violence survivor.”

What followed was the nurse practitioner’s account of what she and her family went through, despite a protection from abuse order against her ex-husband.

“There were many times when I would have to pack up my kids in the middle of the night. … He would call my phone over and over, sometimes over a hundred times, threatening to burn down my house, kill me and our children,” McInnis said.

Through it all, she said, there were four Rumford police officers who “provided support and looked out for me and my family.”

Because of their exemplary support, McInnis said she wanted to find a way to recognize them.

“Not only did I want to recognize them,” she said, “but to find a program that would recognize officers and first responders.”

McInnis presented Certificates of The Firefly Award for First Responders to Detective Donald Miller, Officer Lawrence Briggs, Cpl. Lawrence Winson and Sgt. Robert Haseltine.

The vision for the Firefly program was influenced by the concept of restorative justice. The recognition program highlights positive examples that contribute to educating the public about the prevalence of domestic violence.

McInnis praised the officers for their help during her ordeal. Miller, she said, was with her since the beginning in 2022.

“He was always professional, sensitive to my frustrations, empathetic and understanding,” McInnis said. “He was extremely patient with my need to maintain some sense of control as my life was completely out of control.”

On several occasions McInnis’ ex broke conditions of release and violated the protection from abuse order, and continued to harass her, she said.

“(Miller) has always made sure he kept me informed. When he was on duty, he would drive by my home and flash the lights on his cruiser to let me know he was patrolling,” she said. “This gave me a sense of security. Many of the officers in my community did this.”

Briggs, whom McInnis called a family member, was acknowledged for trying to remain professional while also helping her.

“The respectable K-9 officer that I am so grateful and blessed to call my family, Lawrence Briggs, with much love and gratitude for putting up with me through my darkest hours, you were my guiding light, my constant source of truth, when I needed help to understand the process albeit extremely frustrating at times,” she said.

McInnis said Winson came to her home on many occasions over the years for domestic abuse calls and was always sure to uphold her “privacy and confidentiality.”

“Like many victims, you feel ashamed for the situation you are in, embarrassed that you could have gotten here,” she said. “It takes years to overcome that stigma. I continue to work through some of those struggles today.”

Despite being new to the police department, McInnis said Haseltine “showed the utmost professionalism and concern for my safety every time he responded to a call. There was never a time I felt rushed, judged or intimidated during interactions with him.”

McInnis’ sponsor, Patrisha McLean, the founder of Finding Our Voices, attended the ceremony with her. Finding Our Voices is a Maine-based nonprofit dedicated to breaking stigma of domestic abuse through advocacy and community outreach.

“My hope is to take this recognition statewide and recognize officers all over Maine,” McInnis said.

Police Chief Tony Milligan described McInnis as “brave” for speaking about her experiences and for recognizing the officers — “that’s incredibly powerful.”

“This was a very difficult and dangerous situation, and our officers didn’t just do the job and move on — they stayed engaged, they checked in and they genuinely cared about her safety and well-being,” Milligan said.

“If it encourages even one person who is suffering in silence to reach out for help, then it’s already made a difference,” he added.

HOW TO GET HELP 

IF YOU or someone you know has experienced domestic violence, you can call the statewide Domestic Abuse Helpline at 1-866-834-4357 to talk to someone who can help. You can learn more at mcedv.org/get-help.

IF YOU or someone you know has experienced sexual abuse, you can call the statewide Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Line at 1-800-871-7741 to talk to someone who can help. You can learn more at mecasa.org.

FOR ASSISTANCE during a mental health crisis, call or text 888-568-1112. To call the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, call 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org.

FOR OTHER support or referrals, call the NAMI Maine Help Line at 800-464-5767 or email [email protected].

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