RUMFORD — With the appointment of a new officer, the police department is at full staff, chief Tony Milligan said, and better positioned to support the community.

Patrolman Trenton Rand of West Paris was sworn in as a full-time officer April 6 in a brief ceremony at the police department. He will serve a one-year probationary term as required by state law. “During this period, the department evaluates the officer’s overall performance, judgment, and suitability for the position,” police Chief Tony Milligan said.

Being at full staff is something that has become increasingly difficult for law enforcement agencies across Maine and throughout the country, he said.

“Like many police departments today, recruiting and retaining qualified officers has been a challenge,” he said. “The profession has changed significantly over the years, and the demands placed on officers today are higher than they have ever been.”

Milligan said policing requires officers to respond to a wide range of complex issues, from serious criminal activity to mental health crises and other social challenges that communities face.

“Our officers are expected to be problem solvers, crisis managers and first responders to virtually anything that comes our way,” he said. “To do that effectively, departments have to invest not only in competitive wages, but also in officer wellness, proper training, and modern equipment so officers are prepared to safely serve the community.”

Milligan said Rand has prior experience in public safety, having worked as a correctional officer from 2019 to 2022 at the Oxford County Jail in Paris, as a reserve police officer with the Mechanic Falls Police Department, and most recently has been working as a part-time patrol officer with the Oxford Police Department.

Rand successfully completed the Maine Criminal Justice Academy pre-service law enforcement training program and received provisional certification as a law enforcement officer.

Milligan said reaching full staffing helps the department better manage those responsibilities while also improving working conditions for officers.

“When a department is fully staffed, it reduces the need for mandatory overtime, which is better for the town’s budget and just as important for the well-being of the officers who serve this community,” he said. “Officers perform best when they are supported, properly trained and able to maintain a healthy balance between work and home life.”

Milligan said the Rumford Police Department is authorized for 15 officers, which includes the chief, a captain who serves as second-in-command and detective, overseeing the Criminal Investigations Division with two full-time detectives.

The department also includes three utility officers, including one assigned with split duties as a detective and K-9 handler, another as a school resource officer, and a third as a second K-9 unit in the patrol division.

The remaining eight officers are assigned to the patrol division, providing frontline law enforcement services to the community.

Milligan noted that the department’s two newest officers, Rand and Patrolman Justin Cummings, are being paid in part through a $250,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice’s COPS Hiring Program, which assists communities in hiring additional officers.

“The COPS Hiring Program has been extremely helpful in allowing smaller communities like Rumford to strengthen public safety staffing without placing the entire financial burden on local taxpayers,” he said.

Milligan also credited the town’s support and federal grant funding for helping the department develop and expand its community policing and officer wellness initiatives.

“We’ve worked hard to build a culture that emphasizes teamwork, community engagement and officer wellness,” he said. “When officers feel supported by their department and their community, they are more likely to stay and build long-term careers here.”

Milligan said maintaining a full roster ultimately benefits the entire community.

“Our goal has always been to provide the best level of law enforcement service possible within our resources,” he said. “Having a full complement of officers allows us to continue doing that while taking care of the people who take care of this community.”

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