AUBURN – The Auburn police officer who crashed a city motorcycle in New Hampshire on Memorial Day was being paid for a regular shift back at home, a department official said Tuesday.

Officer Bud Caouette, who was treated for bumps and scrapes suffered in the crash, was in New Hampshire at the request of the New Auburn American Legion.

“He was paid for his regular duty hours,” said Deputy Chief Jason Moen. “There was no time and a half or anything like that. We had sufficient coverage in Auburn to allow him to participate.”

The American Legion had asked Auburn police to send one of their bike officers to New Hampshire to escort a group of Legion riders to a veterans’ service.

Caouette was one of dozens of police officers from around the country who made the ride to the monument in Derry, N.H.

“Police from different states were all over the place,” said Emmet Stuart, commander of the New Auburn American Legion. “The motorcycle unit is a great, great thing. We like to attend those types of services, and I think it’s important that we do so.”

The crash occurred about 1:20 p.m. at routes 102 and 121 in Chester, N.H., according to police reports.

According to a statement from New Hampshire State Police, Caouette was westbound on Route 102 when his Harley-Davidson motorcycle collided with a vehicle driven by Patricia Anken, 60, of Rome, N.Y., that was northbound on Route 121.

Police reported that Anken stopped at the intersection before proceeding through it and was hit about halfway through by Caouette, and then struck a second Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by Ray Gilliam of Minot.

Gilliam and a passenger on his bike, 44-year-old Tina Gilliam, were also treated for cuts and scrapes. The extent of damage to the Harley-Davidson that Caouette was riding was not known. The crash remains under investigation by New Hampshire State Police.

Word of the collision generated questions from some in the Lewiston-Auburn area who wondered how Caouette was being paid for his time in another state.

According to Moen, there is no mystery about the arrangement.

“It’s common for larger police departments with motorcycles to participate in those kind of events,” he said. “It’s good for the community when we’re able to represent the city at these functions. Everyone was very appreciative that Bud was there.”

Caouette, 52, has been a police officer for roughly 20 years, most of that time with the Auburn department.

At the American Legion, Stuart said he cannot remember any previous problems with local officers attending events out of the city. He said the Legion was happy that Caouette made the trip to represent Auburn.

“I’ve known Bud a long time. He’s a good officer,” Stuart said. “It was an unfortunate accident.”