Auburn, Maine already has a K-9 unit. Officer Andrew Jarman of the Auburn Police Department is the handler of Brick, the department’s newest police dog. Auburn Police Department photo
BIDDEFORD — Thanks to a $32,000 private grant, the Biddeford Police Department is in the process of acquiring a police dog and a K-9 handler to join the force. The department has also hired two part-time, non-sworn officers and plans to change the current shift schedule for officers to combat low staffing numbers.
Police Chief JoAnne Fisk intends to have a final selection for the dog’s handler this week, after conducting interviews last week. The department will have to wait awhile for the K-9, who is set to arrive in the next couple of months, Fisk said. Once both are in Biddeford, the handler and the dog will live together — “to get acquainted”— before completing a training program together. After completing training, the dog will be considered a “dual purpose” police K-9, meaning it can do drug detection and patrol work.
Fisk said that her main motivation behind acquiring the K-9 unit is to combat drug crime. According to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, the state saw 229 fentanyl — a synthetic opiate that is fueling the opioid epidemic — arrests in 2022, whereas in the five years prior the number of arrests never exceeded 110. Maine also passed a grim milestone last year, setting a record for drug-related deaths for the second year in a row, according to figures compiled by Maine Public.
The Biddeford Police Department also plans to make changes to shift schedules in response to officer feedback, which they hope will make it easier to attract new officers. Currently, patrol officers have a four days on, two days off, with one rotating day on schedule. Each shift is currently 8 1/2. Moving forward, officers will work 11 hour shifts during their days on, and have three days off each week.
Two part-time employees have also joined the force. These hires are non-sworn officers, meaning they have not undergone full police training and do not carry a firearm. Fisk noted that these officers would carry out a limited number of duties, including answering basic service calls and handling minor walk in complaints, such as residents reporting found property.
Fisk hopes that these new officers will help free up the patrol division — which is currently comprised of 18 officers and six sergeants — to focus on more complex tasks.
Across all divisions, the police force is looking to fill 12 positions.
Fisk emphasized the challenge of attracting new people to the force. “It’s just not an attractive field for a lot of people,” she said.
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