AUGUSTA — A veteran homicide detective has been selected to lead Maine’s new cold case unit.

State Police Lt. Jeffery Love was promoted Monday and will oversee a team of detectives assigned to the Major Crimes Unit in Augusta, which investigates homicides and suspicious deaths. He’ll also oversee the two new detectives who are expected to be named later in the coming month to the new unsolved homicide unit.

The Legislature funded the cold case squad in the budget that took effect on July 1.

Critics have been frustrated that the new unit has been slow to get staffed. Sen. Linda Valentino of Saco said last week that state police need to “get this unit up and running as soon.”