A letter of reprimand issued last summer to a Gorham police officer – who is the brother of the town’s interim police chief – sheds light on concerns about domestic violence, nepotism and transparency in the department that were cited in a town-commissioned report released Monday.

Officer Mark Sanborn, then the resource officer for the town’s elementary schools, was put on paid leave in July in response to allegations of abuse made by his wife on behalf of herself and their two young children. An internal investigation found Sanborn, 38, in violation of the department’s policy against domestic abuse by a law enforcement officer, although no charges were filed against him.

The investigation was triggered by allegations made in a temporary protection-from-abuse order by Sanborn’s wife, who accused him of “significant emotional abuse against our (children) and me and physical abuse against the children.”

The order was dismissed a month later, and attorneys for husband and wife, who are close to finalizing their divorce, said Tuesday that they are now working cooperatively to raise their children.

Sgt. Dan Young, president of the Maine Association of Police’s Gorham local, said Tuesday that the reference to domestic violence in the report should not lead people to believe it is “a widespread issue” in the department.

But he reiterated that members of the union are concerned about the administration following proper procedures and being transparent about internal investigations, as stated in the report.

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Interim Chief Chris Sanborn, the brother of Mark Sanborn, said Tuesday that “the allegations of nepotism and favoritism … are opinion and not fact-based.

“While there may be a select few individuals that believe that to be the case, to the best of my knowledge the Gorham Police Department has complied with all its policies and procedures,” he said.

He said Mark Sanborn was reassigned from the schools to patrol on March 18 “due to staffing issues.”

In a statement filed in Bridgton District Court, Mark Sanborn’s wife claimed that his abuse began soon after the birth of their older son, now 7. She described her husband as “erratic, violent and angry,” and degrading to her and the children, frequently calling them names, screaming and swearing at them.

She said that in 2012 he hit their older son “so hard in the face it left a mark for 24 hours,” and last year forced him to stand barefoot outside in the cold and told him to “get out of the house” and “find a new home,” then tied him to a chair.

“Those things were never proven,” said Marty Ridge, the attorney for Mark Sanborn.

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He said Sanborn has “worked extremely hard on issues that give rise to the divorce” and now he and his wife “deal with each other in a very reasonable or good way.”

Sanborn’s wife filed a motion to dismiss the protection complaint on Aug. 6 – the date Sanborn agreed to an interim order to continue individual counseling, according to the Aug. 25 letter of reprimand issued by then-Chief Ronald Shepard.

“The court process has worked really well for this family,” said Michael Whipple, the attorney for Sanborn’s wife. He said Sanborn was never charged.

A background check on him showed no criminal record.

Sanborn was on paid administrative leave throughout July and most of August while an internal affairs investigation was conducted by the Tideview Group of Kennebunk.

Based on those findings, Shepard concluded that Sanborn had violated two of the department’s standard operating procedures, according to the letter of reprimand. It cited domestic abuse by a law enforcement officer and violation of the department’s professional conduct and responsibility standard.

Shepard, who retired in November and is now a town councilor, did not return requests for comment this week.

Young, the union president, said he believes many of the department’s problems “will resolve themselves” once there’s a permanent police chief in place.

“We need a strong leader to come in here and kind of right the ship,” he said.


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