Chris Sanborn, a 16-year veteran police officer, was sworn in on Monday as the Gorham Police Department lieutenant.
Gorham Town Clerk Christina Silberman administered the oath of office in a ceremony in the gazebo at the Municipal Center. “I’m very excited and looking forward to the opportunity,” Sanborn said. “I hope to make a positive impact to the department and the community. I’m looking forward to working with the chief.”
Sanborn, 36, will serve as second in command to Gorham Police Chief Ron Shepard. The position has been vacant since Ted Blais left on May 20 to take the chief’s job at the University of Maine at Farmington.
Shepard said Sanborn was an excellent choice for the position and had worked himself up through the ranks. “He has the respect of the officers, and he’s pretty solid, an all around solid person,” Shepard said.
A graduate of Sacopee Valley High School in 1987, Sanborn joined the force in 1989 after graduating from Southern Maine Technical College. Sanborn earned sergeant stripes at Gorham in 1992. He is married and has three daughters.
His family, including parents Earl and Patty Sanborn of West Baldwin, attended the ceremony. Sanborn’s brother, Mark Sanborn, is Gorham’s DARE officer.
Mark Sanborn said his brother would be his direct supervisor. “Everyone in the department respects him and trusts in his leadership capability,” Mark Sanborn said of his brother.
The new lieutenant said the population of the town had increased substantially during his career in Gorham. In another big change, he cited the addition of school resource officers to the police department. Gorham now has two with Officer Wayne Drown at the middle and high schools and Mark Sanborn at the elementary schools.
The new lieutenant thought the interaction with the students has reduced the incidents of juvenile crime. “It’s made a significant impact. It’s been a positive thing,” Sanborn said.
When Sanborn joined, Shepard was the lieutenant and Dave Kurz was chief. Drown said he was on the board that hired Sanborn for the department. He and Officer Wayne Coffin were sitting in the sergeant’s office when Sanborn went to the station to apply. “There’s our next one,” Drown said they both agreed when they saw him walk across the parking lot.
“He’s a good choice,” Drown said of Sanborn’s promotion to lieutenant.
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