GORHAM – Gorham Patrol Officer Robert Henckel was recently recognized for his quarter century serving his hometown police department.

There’s not much Henckel, 54, hasn’t seen on patrol.

“It’s been a ride,” Henckel said about his years on duty. “We’re in the bad-news business.”

Henckel joined Gorham Police Department on July 1, 1988, and Town Manager David Cole recently awarded Henckel a 25-year service pin. Henckel has worked under three chiefs in Gorham: David Kurz, Ed Tolan and now, Ronald Shepard.

A Gorham native, Henckel graduated Gorham High School in 1977. Before joining Gorham Police Department, he served U.S. Air Force law enforcement 11 years. His duty included four years in Germany and other deployments he declined to identify.

He recalled one amusing story while patrolling Gorham. Late at night, he came upon a woman whose car was out of gas, and Henckel said she was dressed provocatively. She told him she was en route to see her boyfriend, but someone borrowed the car and forgot to gas up.

The woman rode in the cruiser’s back seat while Henckel drove her to a service station, where she paid for the gas. Returning to her car, he poured the gas for her. But then, dispatch radioed that the woman had an outstanding warrant, and Henckel arrested the woman.

“Anytime you think you’ve seen it all, something else happens,” Henckel said.

Police equipment has changed dramatically in 25 years. When he started in Gorham, he carried on his belt a revolver, handcuffs and a portable radio. Today, Henckel wears 28 pounds of gear. An officer’s equipment includes a Taser, collapsible baton, pepper spray, cell phone and semi-automatic Glock pistol. The cruiser has a laptop.

“It’s a quantum leap over what we had,” Henckel said about high-tech improvements.

He has drawn his weapon multiple times in the line of duty and fired once when a suspect aimed at a fellow officer.

A woman hunting for a home once stopped him to ask if there were crime in Gorham.

“We’re like anyplace else,” he told her. “Crime happens everywhere.”

Henckel works a 10-hour shift and averages driving about 125 miles per shift. He also handles walk-in complaints at headquarters.

A family friend, who was a Maine trooper, inspired Henckel as a teenager to pursue a law enforcement career and he plans to stay until retirement.

“It’s a calling,” Henckel said, “we’re not doing this for the money.”

He calls his career “rewarding,” but he cites some “obviously not so good experiences.” The job takes a personal toll.

“We have tragedies happen to people,” he said. “You can’t ignore that.”

Officer Robert Henckel has 25 years patrolling Gorham.