PRESQUE ISLE, Maine – The Presque Isle Police Department hopes a promotional method used by athletes will help familiarize their names and faces with members of the public, especially children – and deter crime in the long run.
“We’ve printed our latest batch of ‘collector cards’ and plan to distribute them at local schools and other functions. They will also be available at the station,” said Sgt. Joey Seeley.
The cards, which will be distributed free of charge, were made possible through the generosity of the Presque Isle Wal-Mart store and Elks Lodge 1954.
“Without the sponsoring of the Elks and Wal-Mart, we wouldn’t be able to do this,” said Seeley.
This marks the third such printing of the cards. The first set was printed in 1999 and the second set in 2002.
Each new set reflects changes within the department. Some officers pictured in earlier sets have left the department, with the 2007 series showing the majority of the current staff at the station, including Hunter, the PIPD’s K-9.
“He’s actually the only ‘officer’ to have his face on two cards,” said Chief Naldo Gagnon. “He’s also one of the most popular members of the force when it comes to the kids.”
Each card shows a photo on the front of a particular member of the department, with the back giving a bit of information on their particular duties with the PIPD, interests and a personal message.
Members included in the 2007 set include: Gagnon, Seeley, Sgt. Laurie Kelly, Sgt. Eric Erickson, Sgt. Mark Barnes, Det. Sgt. Wayne Selfridge, Det. William Scull, Animal Control Officer Daniel Corey, K-9 Hunter, Senior Communications Officer Thomas King, and Officers Roger Ellis, Brian McQuarrie, Jeffrey Mechalko, Lynn Hartley, Kevin Schumacher, Stacey Mahan, Dennis Quint, Larry Fickett, Rob Thibeault and Dana Cote.
Since the printing, the department has added a new officer with the hiring of Shawn Newell earlier this month.
More changes will take place as officers come and go from the department.
“Stacey will be leaving us soon to take over as chief in Limestone. I’m sure we’ll have additional changes as time goes by, but for now, the cards are a good representation of our department,” said Gagnon.
Once distributed, the collectibles will continue to represent the department, serving as a reminder each time a recipient looks at one that the PIPD is there to serve the public, day or night.
“They’ll be used as a learning tool, to introduce the department to the public and especially for familiarizing youth with each member of the force and what we do,” said Seeley.
The hope is that by familiarizing children with the police department, especially at an early age – cards will primarily be distributed at the pre-K and elementary school level – that children will learn to trust and respect police.
“We want children to know we’re here to protect them, to keep them safe. We want them to be able to talk with us if they see us in public. By creating open communication, we also hope it will prevent them from getting in trouble in the future,” said Gagnon.
Any method that helps prevent a crime is a positive thing, said Gagnon.
“We’ve had a lot of positive feedback on previous sets. That’s why we went ahead with the newest version. It’s good public relations. We want people to feel comfortable with our presence in the community. This is a simple way to introduce us to folks, especially to children who might otherwise be hesitant to talk with us for whatever reason. Once they have our cards, it opens up the lines of communication for us,” said Gagnon.
For more information or to obtain a set of cards, contact 764-4476.
