ALFRED — York County Sheriff William L. King Jr. said increasing the number of contracts that provide deputy policing services to specific communities is paying off.

“Our community members are noticing the effectiveness of our patrols and value the increased quality of life,” King said Tuesday after being sworn in to a second term as York County sheriff.

He spoke about accomplishments in the agency’s three divisions – police services, corrections and civil process – over the past four years and of the attributes of those in key positions at the agency.

“Every one of these divisions interact with community members at difficult times,” King said. “Our direction to the staff is to try to end all encounters well. If we can avoid an arrest, do so. If we can seek voluntary compliance, that is the direction we prefer. And it has worked for us.”

He said the sheriff’s office has operated within its allocated budget for all four years of his first term.

In police services, he noted a 40 percent increase in the contract deputy program. He pointed out that the civil process division was reorganized to transition private contractors to become county employees. That change, he said, allows the agency to serve civil process paperwork in a safer, more accountable manner that also has resulted in cost savings.

He spoke about the new program at York County Jail designed to provide help to inmates with substance abuse issues.

“We have worked to bring a medication-assisted treatment program in the jail at no cost to the county taxpayer,” King said. “This pilot program is grant funded to provide medication and treatment to inmates with a substance use disorder.”

The Saco Democrat was elected to his second four-year term in November, besting Republican opponent Roger Hicks by 13,000 votes.

The oath of office was administered by former York County Commissioner and former Maine legislator David Bowles of Sanford. The sheriff’s badge was pinned by his grandson, Sean, 7.

Bowles also administered the oath of office to Thomas Baran of Kittery, whom King chose to continue as his chief deputy for a second term.

King, 65, joined the sheriff’s office as a major in 2010 and was later appointed as chief deputy to former Sheriff Maurice Ouellette. Baran, who worked at York Police Department for 30 years, began his career with the York County Sheriff’s Office as a major in 2013.

King thanked all those who attended.

“Your confidence in me means a great deal and we will continue to work to ensure that York County is a great place for all of us to call home,” he said.

However, King’s swearing in wasn’t without controversy.

Members of the Southern Maine Labor Council protested before and during the ceremony, holding signs alleging labor unrest among employees at the sheriff’s office. They are represented by four unions: the National Correctional Employees Union, Fraternal Order of Police, Teamsters and the Maine State Employees Association.

“(Employees) should be able to do their jobs free of retaliation or intimidation,” Rachel Sherman, president of MSEA Local 1297, said before the ceremony. She declined to be specific, and said that the issues are making their way through the prescribed process.

Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or at:

twells@journaltribune.com

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