Portland Interim Police Chief F. Heath Gorham will retire from the department at the end of the month, leaving a position city leaders have spent most of the year attempting to fill on a permanent basis.

City Manager Danielle West announced his departure from the City Council on Monday, and a police department spokesperson confirmed it on Tuesday afternoon.

After previously dodging questions about whether he would apply for the permanent chief position, Gorham said on Monday evening that he had not applied for the job and was planning to retire.

Gorham declined to speak to the Press Herald about his future and the next steps for the department.

Neither West, who will make the final decision on Portland’s next chief, nor Mayor Kate Snyder responded to emails Tuesday requesting information about who would replace Gorham as interim chief and when the city expected to hire a permanent chief.

Maj. Robert Martin is currently serving as interim assistant chief.

City spokesperson Jessica Grondin said on Tuesday that the city expects to share an update on the future of the department as early as next week.

Gorham has led the department since November 2021 following the resignation of Frank Clark, who held the role for two years before leaving for a job in private security. Gorham has worked for Portland’s force since joining as a patrol officer in 2001.

The city launched its search for a permanent chief in February and planned to begin reviewing applicants in March. But after the initial posting drew fewer candidates than expected, the city delayed the review process in order to draw more applicants. The online job posting, which lists a salary range of  $135,000–$175,000, remains open.

Clark was earning a salary of $136,000 at the time of his departure, while Gorham earns $140,000.

The police chief is one of the top jobs in city government, reporting directly to the city manager and responsible for nearly 200 employees plus an additional 36 at the regional communications and dispatch center. The annual police budget tops $15 million.

During his tenure as Portland’s top-ranking officer, Gorham oversaw the department’s response to several emerging challenges that often mirrored national trends, including staffing shortages and an increase in violent crime. After Cumberland County Sheriff Kevin Joyce closed the county jail to most new prisoners last September, Gorham took the rare step of speaking out against the sheriff’s decision.

“This is beyond frustrating,” Gorham said after the jail’s intake policy forced police to release a man who then allegedly threatened and assaulted Portland officers. “Something has to be done soon as this policy is putting our officers and our community at risk. We were fortunate there were no serious injuries.”

Gorham’s department faced backlash in April after a white supremacist rally in Portland resulted in a skirmish with counterprotesters but no arrests. In the following weeks, Gorham told the City Council that he stood by the actions of his officers, but more than 100 demonstrators protested what they saw as police inaction, and District Attorney Jackie Sartoris said Portland police could have done more to hold the white supremacists accountable.

Staff Writer Rachel Ohm contributed to this report.

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