A Gorham police officer was reprimanded last summer following an investigation of domestic violence, a letter released by the town revealed on Tuesday.
Officer Mark Sanborn was identified as the officer in a letter on Aug. 25 from then-Gorham Police Chief Ronald Shepard. Sanborn had been placed on administrative leave and was reprimanded following an investigation. According to the letter, Shepard on July 3 served a temporary protection of abuse order that was initiated by Sanborn’s wife, Holly Sanborn.
An independent report released Monday with findings about the Gorham Police Department indicated that domestic violence was an issue inside the department.
Town Manager David Cole on Tuesday released Shepard’s letter to Sanborn following a request by the American Journal.
Mark Sanborn is the brother of Gorham’s acting police chief, Lt. Christopher Sanborn, who was appointed by the Town Council. After a lengthy career in the Gorham Police Department, Shepard retired Nov. 4 and was elected to the Town Council.
Cole said on Tuesday that the acting police chief was not involved in the investigation of his brother and that it was conducted by an external agency.
Mark Sanborn was the school resource officer for Gorham elementary schools, but Cole said on Tuesday that he was re-assigned to patrol duty about March 18.
“We put him on patrol because we’re short-handed,” Cole said.
Shepard said in his letter that he had reviewed findings of the investigation and concluded in his letter to Mark Sanborn, “You did engage in conduct which violated Gorham Police Department Standard Operating Procedure . . . by attempting to place or placing another in fear of bodily injury through any course of conduct including but not limited to, threatening, harassing or tormenting behavior.”
Shepard’s letter also said that he violated department rules on professional conduct and responsibility, which requires that “employees shall conduct themselves in their private and professional lives in such a manner as to avoid bringing themselves or the department into disrepute, discredit or a state of embarrassment.”
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