FREEPORT

Freeport residents will get a chance Thursday night to meet the two finalists for the police chief position.

Marc Hagan of Brunswick and Susan Nourse of Freeport are vying for the chief position which became available when longtime Freeport Police Chief Jerry Schofield retired at the end of March after 40 years with the department.

Schofield had served as chief since 1988.

Residents can meet the finalists Thursday at the Freeport Town Hall Town Council Chambers. The public will meet first with Hagan at 6 p.m. and Nourse at 7 p.m.

Town Manager Peter Joseph said the candidates may give a brief presentation about themselves, and the rest of the evening would be more of a one-on-one social event.

“We hope that residents will be able to ask the candidates specific questions and learn more about their background, as well as their philosophy on the relationship between the police department and the community,” he said. “We’re hoping that this event will provide an opportunity to observe the candidates’ interaction with the public, which is an incredibly important part of the police chief ’s job.”

Joseph said there will be an opportunity for the public to provide written feedback on the candidates, which will be used in the final selection process.

The initial review panel working to fill the position consisted of Joseph, another employee from his office, a police department employee, two current police chiefs from nearby towns and one retired police chief.

Joseph said Tuesday it is likely he will present a final candidate to the town council for confirmation in June. The council has the authority to confirm or reject his nominee.

Hagan currently is the patrol commander for the Brunswick Police Department and a 25-year veteran of the department. He worked his way up the ranks from patrol officer and was promoted to his current administrative position eight years ago.

He has been a planner, coordinator and incident commander at events such as Blue Angels air shows, Memorial Day Parades and road races, according to his resume. His time as commander of the department’s Special Response Team provided experience with crisis management and control.

“I am most proud of the partnerships that have occurred during my time in administration however,” he wrote. “I have partnered with local medical and mental health agencies, which has led to a crisis worker now operating directly out of our station.”

Hagan added: “Serving the town that I was born and raised in has given me a perspective like no other. I am positive that my attitude toward public service, and the knowledge and experience that I have garnered over these years, is perfectly suited for the town of Freeport.”

Nourse joined the Freeport Police Department in 1984 as a full-time patrol officer.

“As the years passed, I found myself drawn to a leadership role on the department, in the community, and for new officers starting their careers,” she wrote in her application. “I am pleased to say that my abilities and interests match those that are needed for being a police supervisor in a small New England town.”

She worked as a music teacher at a K-9 school in Mechanic Falls from 1982 to 1984. Then she was hired by Freeport Police Department as a patrol officer, promoted to sergeant in 1988 and to her current lieutenant position in 2004. She is currently serving as the acting chief.

“My progressive outlook has brought many programs to Freeport, most notably the K9 initiative in 2013,” her resume letter notes.

In 1989, she initiated the D.A.R.E. program and taught in the elementary schools. She has worked with the business community to provide crime prevention tips and participated in neighborhood watch groups. She also helped create Jump Start, a court diversion program designed to help juveniles make better decisions.

The candidates’ full resumes can be found at freeportmaine.com.

dmoore@timesrecord.com

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