New K9 team enhances capabilities of Windham Police Department

By Ed Pierce

A valuable new officer has joined the Windham Police Department and it’s a responsibility he can really sink his teeth into.

K9 Zeus, a 16-month old Belgian Malinois, has joined the 
Windham Police Department and is paired with his handler,
Officer Sam Pattee. They are currently training for Zeus to
become a fully certified patrol dog with expertise in
tracking, searches, apprehension and narcotics detection.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

K9 Zeus is a 16-month-old Belgian Malinois who is partnered with his handler, Officer Sam Pattee, a four year-veteran of the department. They are currently involved in training for Zeus to become a fully certified patrol dog, meaning he'll be certified in tracking, article searches, apprehension work and narcotics certification.

“I grew an interest in being a K9 handler almost as soon as I got started on the road with Windham PD,” Pattee said. “I assisted K9 handlers from Westbrook PD, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and Portland PD on tracks in Windham for everything from locating elderly citizens who had wondered away to Domestic Violence suspects who had fled from the scene. I quickly realized that Windham needed to have a K9 asset and wanted to be the one to provide it. I was also excited by the idea of assisting officers on a variety of calls and improving the department’s capabilities.”

Pattee said that K9 Zeus came from Boston Police Department’s training barracks and was selected by him with the help of K9 trainers from both the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office and Scarbrough PD.

“I was looking for a dual purpose K9, meaning a K9 fully capable of patrol work and narcotics detection,” he said. “I viewed multiple possible K9s but when I met Zeus, I quickly knew he was the one. He was full of energy, fearless and I felt a bond with him from the start.”

Becoming a K9 handler was almost second nature for Pattee.

“Growing up, my family always had dogs. There’s an obvious difference between them and K9 Zeus, those three were pets and farm dogs while K9 Zeus is a working dog, he said. “K9 Zeus is full of more energy than any one person could ever use in a day, but he is also incredibly smart and capable of solving his own problems without needing much of anything from me. K9 Zeus loves tracking and can go all day, being just as excited about it when he’s finished, as he was when he started.”

According to Pattee, K9 training is not an easy task.

“It takes a lot of time, dedication and patience. It takes a level of commitment that you can’t truly understand until you’ve done it yourself. I train with the group called Law Enforcement Dogs of Maine (LEDME) and it requires at least 480 hours of training with a certified trainer before a K9 team can be certified in patrol work,” he said. “In training we work on tracking, article searching, which is locating items that someone may have dropped or thrown, and suspect apprehension. We also conduct scenario-based training which puts both the K9 and the handler through real world situations and helps us be better prepared to make the right decisions on real deployments. The group has a great team of trainers with years of combined K9 experience to learn from and I appreciate everything they’ve taught me.”

The Windham Police Department last had a K9 team about four years ago, but since then has had assistance from other agencies when a K9 is needed or would be helpful.

“Time can play a big factor during certain calls and an available team may be too far away to be effective,” Pattee said. “With Windham gaining a K9 team again, we can improve are response times to situations as having the resource a K9 brings. For example, if an elderly citizen with dementia has wondered away from home and gotten lost in the woods, Windham now has a K9 nearby to pick up that person’s trail and locate them much quicker than waiting for a team from an outside agency.”

Pattee spent his early childhood in Westbrook and then moved to Windham, where he graduated from Windham High School. While still in high school, he joined the U.S. Army Reserves and he continues to serve in the reserves, where he’s been enlisted for 11 years with one mobilization overseas.

He says his girlfriend has been a huge supporter of his efforts to become a K9 handler, which is not easy.

“Being a K9 handler is what you make of it,” Pattee said. “It takes a lot of dedication, and you have to love what you’re doing to make the most of it. You have to be ready to continuously learn and improve your skills as well as being able to understand what your K9 partner is trying to tell you.”

The greatest misconception the public may have about K-9 police dogs is that although patrol certified K9 teams have the ability to apprehend a suspect with force, that is not the primary goal of a K9.

“K9s are a locating tool. This could be locating a suspect who has fled a scene or vehicle, to find a missing person, or helping officers identify where a suspect is hiding inside a building which improves safety for all involved,” Pattee said. “K9 Zeus is a very happy dog and full of excitement every day. He’s not just a tool but also my partner. We are both very excited for the opportunity to serve the Windham community and its citizens. When you see us around town, K9 Zeus may be barking but know he is there ready to help serve and protect the same as every officer from the Windham Police Department is.” <

Windham Middle School welcomes new School Resource Officer

By Masha Yurkevich

Schools are one of the safest places our children can be, and there is a lot of work that goes into making sure that is true. One very significant part of keeping our school safe is the role of a School Resource Officer, now handled by Windham Police Officer Devyn Rogers at Windham Middle School.

Officer Devyn Rogers, an eight-year veteran
of the Windham Police Department, is the 
new School Resource Officer at Windham
Middle School. His job is to ensure the 
safety of students and staff at WMS and to
be a positive role model for students.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE   

Prior to becoming a School Resource Office (SRO) for the Windham Middle School this fall, Rogers worked briefly at the Cumberland Country Jail and was hired by the Windham Police Department in August 2016. He was assigned to patrol duty until August of this year when he became the SRO at Windham Middle School. Rogers is also a firearms instructor and field training officer for the department.

Becoming an SRO was no easy task, and Rogers attended the Maine Criminal Justice Academy Basic School Resource Officer course, as well as receiving on the job training from other school resource officers in the Windham Police Department.

“I wanted to become a school resource officer to help provide a safe school environment, interact with a different part of the community, and work with students to provide a potentially different perspective on law enforcement,” says Rogers.

As a school resource officer, Rogers will serve as a valuable resource for students, parents, teachers, staff and administration. His mission is to gain the students’ trust and respect and become a positive role model in their lives. His work is more than breaking up fights and ensuring the physical safety of the staff and students. It also involves being a teacher, counselor, and law enforcement officer, and much of his duties result in conversations that help students navigate tough situations.

He’s in charge of the physical security of the entire WMS facility and the students within, emergency operations planning for the school district, safety training for the district, education on various topics for students, and the day-to-day operations of the middle school community.

According to Rogers, as a school resource officer, each day is different.

“Most days I start with monitoring parent drop off, and then during class periods I will walk the building or school grounds and assist the administration with any tasks or concerns, as well as monitor the cameras,” says Rogers. “I try to spend time in all the lunch periods to talk with the students, as that seems to be their favorite time to ask me questions. During the afternoon periods, I will typically do any work, reports, or emails, and often have meetings.”

The high school SRO and Officer Rogers then go out at dismissal to ensure the safety of the students during bus pickup.

“Much like an officer patrolling the streets, I often interact with people when they are having what may be the worst day of their life,” says Rogers. “Those can be tough situations to navigate.”

There are many things that the role of an SRO entails, but Rogers keeps his definition short and sweet.

“As an SRO, I help provide a safe and secure environment for students and staff, assist school staff with resolving conflict and problems, and as a resource for the students if they have issues that they don’t want to bring up to other staff,” he said.

Married and the father of two children, Rogers grew up in North Yarmouth and graduated from Greeley High School. He attended Norwich University and the University of Southern Maine before entering law enforcement.

As the SRO of the Windham Middle School, Rogers hopes to make a positive impact on the students and the school as a whole.

“I have gotten some invitations from teachers to join them during class and I think that is a great opportunity to provide some insight to students and help them make good decisions,” Rogers says.

Though being a middle school resource officer is no easy task, Rogers said he loves what he does.

“Working as an SRO is a bit of a change of pace for me, but I am finding my groove and enjoying it,” he says. “I want teachers, students, and parents to know that I am here as a resource more than anything. If you feel like I could be of benefit to a situation or discussion, please let me know.” <

WHS students undertake mock crime investigation with police

By Jolene Bailey

Windham High School offers a plethora of options for students to overcome struggles they might face outside of high school and into adulthood. For many, this includes attending college fairs and shadowing jobs; finding out their path that will unfold. One activity Windham High School does each year is a mock crime scene. Although the classes involved and scenario changes every year, the exercise focuses on English, math, and science.

Students at Windham High School work with investigators
from the Windham Police Department as part of an exercise
to solve a mock crime scene on schools grounds on May 3.
SUBMITTED PHOTO  

On Wednesday, May 3, students and members of the Windham law enforcement community interacted during a unique Crime Scene Investigation exercise on the school campus.

“The crime that was alleged was a motor-vehicle involved murder in which two neighbors had a problem with each other and shortly after a verbal dispute, one of the neighbors ran the other one off the road causing that driver to be ejected from the vehicle and subsequently pass away from injuries,” said Jason Burke, a Windham Police Department officer who was involved in the actual crime scene.

During the exercise, every WHS student has a role to play in solving the supposed crime. English students were the “detectives,” while math and science students were the “evidence techs” whose duty was to calculate details and handle the evidence.

“The key aspect of all this work is that both sides of the investigation must work together to solve the crime. Both roles needed each other to understand the complete experience,” said WHS teacher Adrianne Shetenhelm.

The exercise not only gave students insight into what it is like to solve a crime, but it also taught participants academic skills that they will need in and outside of a classroom environment.

“I was so proud to see my students, even often quiet ones who may not respond to a lesson within the classroom, engage with police officers, members of the community, and ask hard questions and work with peers to solve the crime. Many demonstrated clever problem-solving and leadership skills,” said Shetenhelm.

The planning process for the exercise started all the way back in September with the officers tasked with setting up the mock crime scene working collaboratively with the educators at Windham High. Each year there is a different mock crime at the school, with different lessons and story plots, and different actors participating, and this was the fourth year that the mock crime scene exercise was staged at the school. Expectations are that students will understand how the different pieces of evidence collected come together to show what happened, which tests are reliable, and which ones have a high possibility of error.

“We teachers work with the police to write this original scenario, and we work hard to manufacture the evidence students find on the scene, but we have to trust that our students will connect all the dots,” Shetenhelm said. “It's like designing a play but in addition to setting the stage, writing the script, and creating the props, you then just have to prepare and then trust that the students are not a passive audience but active participants.”

Teachers normally see students in a classroom setting five out of seven days a week and within this given time, teachers and students are able to create relationships and bonds. But outside of a teacher’s point of view, police officers aren’t as interactive with the students’ daily academic life.

"This event is a lot of fun to participate in. Not only do we get to help with the background preparation and planning, but we also are given the opportunity to teach in the classroom. On the day of the event the scenario brings all of the parts and pieces together to give the students an example of how academic knowledge is put to use in the real world,” said Burke.

All around us are skills for us to pick up upon, Burke said, and the mock crime scene investigation presents just such an opportunity. <

Windham Police Captain Ray Williams retires after decades of service to town

By Ed Pierce

It was tough for Windham Police Department’s Captain Ray Williams to not put on his uniform and report for duty on Tuesday morning, but after more than 37 years of service to the community, Williams officially retired on Monday, May 1.

Captain Ray Williams has officially retired
after spending 37 years as a member of the
Windham Police Department. Hundreds of 
well-wishers and friends turned out to say
thanks and goodbye to Williams during a
special tribute to him on Monday afternoon
at Windham High School. FILE PHOTO     

He grew up in Cumberland and after graduating from Greely High School, Williams attended Southern Maine Community College and earned an Associate of Science degree in law enforcement technology. His first assignment in law enforcement came as a reserve officer for the Windham Police Department and he was hooked. Williams applied for an opening as a full-time police officer in Windham and was hired. His first official day on the job was Sept. 4, 1986.

In March 1987, Williams completed his studies and graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, and he then went on to successfully complete the Drug Recognition Expert School in 1991. At the time of his retirement, Williams is the last active member of the state’s first DRE School in 1991 that was still serving with his police department.

As the years rolled by, Williams logged more than 20 years of service as a member of WPD’s Patrol Division, including 13 years as a motorcycle officer. In that role, Williams stepped up and helped train hundreds of police officers from across Maine in developing expertise in the detection and processing of alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers.

His diligence at protecting Maine motorists and his keen ability to recognize impaired drivers before they could cause harm to others has not been overlooked. Williams was recognized in 2021 by the Maine Bureau of Highway Safety and the Maine Criminal Justice Academy for his lifetime contribution as a Drug Recognition Expert and his devotion to keeping Maine highways safe.

“Ray has taught in most all the DRE schools since 2003 and has taken on a mentorship role helping new DREs as they learn new skills,” said James A. Lyman, Coordinator of Impaired Driving Programs for the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. “For his years of dedicated service and overall contributions in removing impaired drivers from Maine roadways, in addition to his leadership and support for the Maine Drug Recognition Expert program, he was presented with this DRE Lifetime Achievement Award.”

Williams has continued to serve as a certified instructor for the Academy, traveling to Vassalboro when needed to teach officers and academy cadets. He’s led classes in Standardized Field Sobriety Testing, drug recognition, operation of the Intoxilyzer 5000ES detection system, and active firearms and urban rifle instruction. Since 2006, Williams has also run the Windham Police Department’s firearms program and has served as the department’s weapons armorer since 1993.

In 1998, Williams helped launch the Windham Police Department’s first motorcycle unit using forfeited assets he helped seize during a traffic stop. The money was taken from a drug courier transporting drugs from Connecticut to Maine. Enough money was seized to fund the department’s motorcycle unit, K-9 program and to purchase other equipment not covered in WPD’s budget.

He accepted an interim detective’s assignment to WPD’s Criminal Investigations Division in 2010 and was awarded the position permanently a year later in 2011. Williams worked on criminal investigations for the department until 2014, when he was promoted to Sergeant and reassigned to the Patrol Division once more as one of two of the department’s Evening Shift Commanders.

He was promoted to the position of Patrol Captain in 2020 and was instrumental in assisting the Windham Police Department’s transition in the construction and expansion of the Windham Public Safety Building on Gray Road last summer.

When it was announced that he would officially be retiring on May 1, hundreds of grateful citizens turned out to thank Williams for his service to the town at a special goodbye ceremony at Windham High School.

Windham Police Chief Kevin Schofield said Williams will be sorely missed.

“Thanks to Captain Williams for your dedicated service to this community, our department and to the law enforcement profession,” he said. “Congratulations Ray on a remarkable career.” <

‘Wreaths Across America’ a transformative experience for WPD officers

By Lorraine Glowczak

After five years volunteering as police escorts for the Wreaths Across America (WAA) caravan, providing safety at intersections as it traveled through Maine, Windham Police Department (WPD) Detective Eugene Gallant and Sergeant Jason Burke received an opportunity this year to participate in the entire six-day convoy that travels to Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington D.C.

Windham Police DCetective Eugene Gallant and Sgt. Jason
Burke helped to lay 247,000 wreaths on the graves of fallen
soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery as part of the annual
Wreaths Across America event. They experienced many
meaningful moments on the trip and say it made a
significant impact on their lives. SUBMITTED PHOTO   

In its 30th year, this annual 730-mile one-way procession begins at the Worcester Wreath Company in Harrington, Maine where the wreaths are made and then delivered the first week of December. Upon arrival, Det. Gallant and Sgt. Burke helped to lay 247,000 wreaths, transported in 18 semi-trailers, onto the graves of fallen soldiers. They both agreed that laying wreaths and saluting fallen soldiers were very humbling experiences.

“Gene and I thought it was a great way to honor our soldiers and the people who sacrificed their lives for our country and the freedoms offered here,” Burke said. “Since we began escorting for WAA, it became a bucket list item for us to travel to Arlington to show our appreciation, so when the opportunity arose to be a part of this convoy, we jumped at it.”

Gallant and Burke also participated in wreath-laying ceremonies at the William H. Taft Memorial, JFK Memorial, RFK Memorial, USS Maine Memorial, the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They also paid their respects by rendering a salute at the gravesite of fellow WPD officer Justin Hudnor’s grandfather, a World War II veteran. Although there were many significant events that took place during the six-day period, the sergeant and detective shared two meaningful experiences.

“During the trip to D.C., we made many stops along the way at various New England towns,” Gallant said. “At one stop at a War Memorial in New Jersey, a woman approached us and asked us to transport a stone to Arlington. The stone had the name of her son engraved on it. He was stationed in Afghanistan and was on a convoy detail when he was hit and killed by an IED [improvised explosive device]. She asked us to take him. One of the truckers [delivering the wreaths] was a veteran who had a tour in Afghanistan and asked if he could take her son to D.C. with him. Of course, we gave the stone to the trucker to travel with a fellow comrade. This is an experience that Jason and I definitely did not expect. This made a great impact on us.”

Another significant experience happened while placing 184 wreaths at the 9/11 Pentagon Memorial, a memorial for those who did not survive the 9/11/2001 terrorist attacks. Burke said that a Pentagon Police lieutenant explained the monument and what the layout meant.

“The direction of the benches signifies the direction the plane flew into the building,” Burke said. “The names on the benches are laid out so that if you are looking toward the sky, it represents those on the plane. The names on the ground are of people in the building. It is a very powerful and meaningful memorial that Gene and I would encourage all to attend.”

The WAA tradition began in 1992 when the Worcester Wreath Company had a surplus of 5,000 wreaths, and the owner of the company, Morrill Worcester recalled a powerful experience of his own. He knew immediately what he had to do with the extra wreaths.

The story began when Worcester was 12 years old in 1963. He won a trip to Washington D.C. while working as a delivery boy for the Bangor Daily News.

“His first trip to our nation’s capital was one he would never forget, and Arlington National Cemetery made an especially indelible impression on him,” the Worcester Wreath Company website stated. “This experience followed him throughout his life and successful career, reminding him that his good fortune was due, in large part, to the values of this nation and the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.”

So, in 1992, Worcester remembered his boyhood experience at Arlington, and he realized he had an opportunity to honor our country’s veterans. “With the aid of Maine Senator Olympia Snowe, arrangements were made for the wreaths to be placed at Arlington in one of the older sections of the cemetery that had been receiving fewer visitors with each passing year.”

The tradition continued, and in 2007, Wreaths Across America became a non-profit organization.

Although U.S. veterans are honored and remembered on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, Sgt. Gallant and Det. Burke understand more profoundly the appreciation the veterans deserve daily.

“We like to encourage others to honor and remember those who have sacrificed so that we may have the freedom to live the life of our dreams,” Gallant said.

For more information about the Worcester Wreath Company, one can peruse the company’s website at www.worcesterwreath.com. To learn more about Wreath Across America go to www.wreathsacrossamerica.org.<

New monument to salute Windham’s Public Safety members

Windham firefighters, emergency medical personnel and 
police officers will be honored with a new monument and
courtyard outside the renovated Public Safety Building on
Gray Road once construction is completed in June. From
left, Windham Fire Chief Brent Libby, Windham Fire Captain
Alfred Carter, Windham Fire-Rescue Office Coordinator
Nancy Graves and Windham Police Captain Ray Williams
show an artist's depiction of the monument.
PHOTO BY ED PIERCE

By Ed Pierce

 

The courage, integrity and commitment shown by Windham’s public safety members is undeniable and soon these heroes who deliver help when emergencies arise, battle deadly fires, and offer residents of the community around-the-clock protection will soon be recognized in a special way.

There may be no proper way to repay members of Windham’s Fire-Rescue Department and the Windham Police Department for their dedicated service as they risk their health and their lives to keep us all safe, but a new monument to be installed outside Windham’s renovated Public Safety Building this spring will pay tribute to these brave men and women for their continued efforts on behalf of the town.  

This week as police officers and fire department administrators moved from the second floor to the newly renovated first floor of the Windham Public Safety Building at 375 Gray Road, work on the $4.3 million facility expansion project continues while plans were announced to create and install a monument outside the building once work is completed there later this spring.

 

According to Windham Fire-Rescue Chief Brent Libby, the Public Safety Monument will be a lasting way to recognize the contributions that police officers and firefighters have made to the town.

 

Libby said that the current Public Safety Building on Gray Road was built in 1988 at a time when none of the town’s firefighters were full-time staff members and Windham only had about 15 or so police officers on duty. Through the decades as Windham has grown, the town now employs four professional firefighters and the town’s police force has doubled in size to 30 officers.

 

When construction work is finished in June, the existing 17,000-square-foot building will add a 15,247-square foot renovation including joint space for both the Windham Fire Department and the Windham Police Departments.

 

The project features a two-story 5,840-square-foot addition to the building that will house five apparatus bays, a public safety decontamination space, bunk rooms, kitchen and offices for the Windham Fire Department and an additional 1,305-square-foot standalone three-bay space for vehicle and evidence storage for the Windham Police Department, along with the creation of a second elevator for the building.

 

In 2020, Windham residents approved up to $4.9 million in bonds during the Annual Town Meeting for capital improvement projects, including funding the expansion for the town’s public safety building.

 

Once construction at the facility performed by Great Falls Construction of Gorham wraps up, a new Public Safety Monument will be dedicated, and the public will be able to surround the courtyard around it with engraved paver stones offered by members of Windham’s Fire-Rescue Department.

 

Windham Fire-Rescue Office Coordinator Nancy Graves and Fire-Rescue Captain Alfred Carter are leading that initiative and say that the 8 x 4 paving stones are available for $120 and can include up to 30 characters. Donations for the project from the public are also being sought. 

 

“We see this as an area of remembrance of those who have served,” Carter said.

 

No Windham police or firefighters have lost their lives while on duty over the years, but Windham Police Captain Ray Williams said that the new monument will represent the deep level of commitment that public safety personnel have shown over the decades of service to town residents.

 

“Officers see it as support for their service and support for their sacrifice,” Williams said.   

 

Police officers first started using the existing Windham Public Safety Building in April 1990 and the renovated facility will be a significant upgrade for the Windham Police Department, Williams said.

 

Libby said that four Windham firefighters will be on duty at a time at the Public Safety Building and they are grateful to be able to work in the remodeled building thanks to the support of the public for public safety.

He said that the new monument and its surrounding courtyard with paver stones will be a constant reminder of the heritage and memory of all police officers and firefighters through the decades in Windham. The monument also will have space available to place the names of fallen personnel who are serving in the line of duty if such a tragedy takes place.

 

“Over the course of the years there have been hundreds of residents who have served, and this remembers the hundreds of hours they put in to serve their community,” Libby said.

To purchase a paver stone or to offer a donation for the monument, call Graves or Carter at 207-892-1911. <  

Holiday Light Parade prepares to dazzle Windham streets on Sunday

The annual Holiday Light Parade will be held on Sunday,
Nov. 28 in Windham starting at 4:30 p.m. The parade begins
at the Raymond Shopping Center and rolls down Route 302,
eventually ending at the East Windham Fire Station. Bring the
kids outside to wave to Santa and Mrs. Claus and see the 
dazzling array of lights. COURTESY PHOTO

By Ed Pierce

The magic is about to happen all over again. For the second consecutive year, the colorful nighttime celebration welcoming the Christmas season known as the Holiday Light Parade will roll through the streets of Windham.

The parade starts at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 28 and is hosted by Windham Fire and Rescue, Windham Police Department, Windham Parks and Recreation Department and the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce and organizers say it was so well received the first time around, it’s back to bring more smile sand more joy to those of all ages locally. 

“We received so much positive feedback from everyone last year over the Holiday Light Parade,” said Linda Brooks, Windham Parks and Recreation director. “They expressed a great deal of appreciation for helping them celebrate the holidays in such a fashion.”

The parade replaced the traditional tree lighting event which was formerly held at the Public Safety Building on Gray Road since its inception in 2016.

Brooks said that as the town faced a range of COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, the decision was made to try something new like the Holiday Light Parade, which proved to be popular with residents.  She said that the tree lighting ceremony had grown so much since it was first launched that it was reaching maximum capacity for an event of its kind and that this year, construction work underway at the Public Safety Building prevented it from being held there once more.

Planning for this year’s Holiday Light Parade began not long after last year’s event, Brooks said.

“It seems like we started receiving suggestions the day after last year’s parade,” Brooks said. “We did sit down to meet with the Fire Chief and a captain from the Windham Police Department about this year’s parade in October as we started the actual planning process for this year’s parade.”

The parade will feature brightly decorated fire department trucks and vehicles, along with Windham Police cars, a Windham Parks and Recreation vehicle and possibly a Windham Public Works vehicle, Brooks said.

“And depending upon the weather, Santa and Mrs. Claus, could be riding in the parade in a convertible driven by former State Representative Gary Plummer,” Brooks said. “The fire truck and emergency vehicles will have their sirens blaring and it will be hard to miss what’s going on.”

Each participating Windham vehicle in the Holiday Light Parade will be lit up with hundreds of brilliant electric Christmas bulbs and will include a wide variety of Christmas décor.  

The parade route has been refined from that of a year ago and a new map for the public that shows the specific route that the parade will take in 2021 has been posted on the Parks and Recreation website at https://www.windhamrecreation.com/

In addition, a special viewing location will be set up near Portland Pie on Route 302 manned by the Sebago Lakes Region Chamber of Commerce. At that location, chamber volunteers will hand out free hot chocolate to parade viewers and participants meet Mrs. Windham from the Mrs., America Pageant.

“We hope that you and your family can plan to enjoy the lighted vehicles and wave hello to our favorite North Pole residents,” Brooks said. “People have told us how much they enjoyed last year’s parade and this year’s parade we hope will be even better.”

Brooks said those driving in the parade last year said they appreciated seeing all the happy faces lining the parade route and welcoming the parade vehicles to their neighborhoods. 

For more information about the 2021 Windham Holiday Light Parade, visit Windhamrecreation.com or call 207-892-1905. < 

Girl Scouts donate protective K-9 vest to Windham Police

Members of Windham Girl Scout Troop 1518
used money earned from, cookie sales to
purchase a protective vest for Kora, a working
K-9 in the Windham Police Department. They
presented the vest to Kora and her handler,
Windham Officer Steven Stubbs, on Aug. 18.
PHOTO BY COLLETTE HAYES  

By Collette Hayes

The nine Girl Scouts in Windham Troop 1518 used their ingenuity and shine to sell over 2,500 boxes of girl scout cookies this year and they donated a large portion of the money they received from the sales to buy a protective vest for Kora, a working K-9 in the Windham Police Department.

Participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program since they were 6-years- old, troop members have developed important life skills such as people skills, goal setting, and money management. According to troop member Kia Coombes, this year the troop decided to set a goal to buy a protective vest for Windham’s police dog and that vest cost $960.

The girls more than met their financial goal through the cookie sale and were able to buy and donate the vest.

“It feels so good doing something for the community,” Girl Scout Madison Nugent said. “Every year we make a donation to the community from our cookie sales. We have donated to the animal shelter, the community garden, the MSSPA Horse Rescue and made Christmas ornaments for the nursing homes. This year we wanted to make sure the Windham police department dog is safe.”

Kora, a five-year-old Malinois, is the recipient of the protective K-9 vest.

On Aug. 18, Windham Police Officer Steven Stubbs along with Kora, visited with Troop 1518 members on the lawn of the Friends Meeting House across the street from the Windham Police station.

“First of all, I would like to thank all of you very much for your generosity in making sure Kora is safe,” he said. “When I’m on a high-risk call, she is usually the first to go into the situation. When I send her in, it means a lot to me knowing she is protected.”

Stubbs has been training Kora since she was 6-months-old.

“Initial K-9 certification takes 480 hours of patrol training in order to qualify to take the test.” Stubbs said. “We have to certify every year for patrol and drugs. Kora can jump over 6-foot walls, find evidence articles and track and protect humans. She works extremely hard and receives little pay for doing it.”

He said Kora has a superior sense of smell and is a great detector.

“She can find a whole slew of illegal drugs,” Stubbs said. “On one of our fun training days we teamed up with the Falmouth K-9 dog team and simulated a drug deal with the Coast Guard. We went out on the Falmouth officer’s boat to where the Coast Guard boat was docked. Drugs had been hidden on the Coast Guard boat for the dogs to locate. This was great training for the dogs. If it becomes necessary for Kora to travel to a shipyard or a wharf full of boats, she won’t be distracted. She knows exactly what she needs to do.”
According to Stubbs. a fully trained police dog is worth probably between $18,000 to $20,000 but in their line of work, they are invaluable.

“They protect us in all different kinds of situations. You really can’t put a price on them,” Stubbs said. “We ask these dogs to do so much. The least we can do for them is to protect them with a vest.”

The new vest is stab resistant, cut resistant and bullet proof.

“There is a door popper on my police car door. If I encounter a confrontation with another individual all I have to do is press a button which I have in my pocket, and it pops the car door open. and Kora immediately jumps out of the car and runs to my side to assess the situation,” he said. “She is amazing at reading body language. She can deescalate a negative situation so quickly just by being present. Individuals are more willing to comply with what we want them to do when she shows up.”

Each day Kora can be found traveling along in the back seat of Officer Stubbs’ police car in her new protective vest.

“When I answer an incoming call over the radio, Kora knows it is time to go to work. She begins barking incessantly, jumping around and pacing across the backseat with almost uncontrollable excitement.” Stubbs said.

Her excitement about going to work each day is something most of us would have a hard time relating to. In so many ways it is evident she is a rare breed and deserves to be protected with a K-9 vest, thanks to a generous donation from Girl Scout Troop 1518. <

RSU 14 obtains grant for school violence prevention

The COPS School Violence Prevention Program Recently has announced the 160 awardees of the 2020 SVPP Grant, and RSU 14 (Windham and Raymond) is one of only two Maine school districts to receive funding.

According to Lanet Hane, Director of Community Connections for RSU 14, this competitive award program is designed to provide funding to improve security at schools and on school grounds through evidence-based school safety programs. 

 

RSU 14 has been awarded a $475,000 grant by
the COPS School Violence Prevention Program.
COURTESY PHOTO

Lane said that RSU 14 was awarded just over $475,000 to be disbursed over a three-year time period.

 

The school district will use these funds to provide increased training and to make building modifications to improve emergency response time during critical incidents, she said.

 

Specific improvements include the addition of external public address systems, external warning lights, improved room numbering systems, a district-wide risk assessment, and full-scale police trainings on-site, Lane said.

 

In addition to the SVPP grant, Lane said that Windham Police Department also has received a grant to fund a second school resource officer position in the school district.

 

All states, units of local government, Indian tribes, and public agencies such as police and sheriff’s departments and school districts are eligible to apply for SVPP grants. 

The Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing School Violence Act of 2018 (STOP School Violence Act of 2018) gave the COPS Office authority to provide awards directly to states, units of local government, or Indian tribes to improve security at schools and on school grounds in the jurisdiction of the grantee through evidence-based school safety programs.

Up to a total of $50 million in funding was available for grants during the FY 2020 SVPP cycle. <

 

Peaceful protest inspires education and awareness on social justice

Organizers of the Windham Black Lives Matter
peaceful protest, Zach DeFosse and Celine Baker,
discuss the route of the protest march with
Windham Police Chief Kevin Schofield at
Windham High School on June 25.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNIE BUTLER

By Lorraine Glowczak

Over 100 area residents came out to participate in a peaceful Black Lives Matter protest held in Windham on June 25, walking from the Windham High School to the Windham Public Safety Building along Route 202 and back with a 15- to 20-minute opportunity for expressions on social justice.

The event was organized by Zach DeFosse and Celine Baker, both 2017 WHS graduates. Their main goal was to educate and inspire awareness surrounding the current social justice concerns – and to do so without violence.

“Throughout the process of planning our protest, Zach and I agreed that our intention was to educate and bring awareness,” Baker said. “Neither Zach or I wanted any harm, destruction, or violence to come of our protest and thankfully everyone that attended helped us achieve that goal.”

DeFosse, who is concerned about social justice, was inspired to create this event after he attended the peaceful protest in Gorham.

“I was, and still am, deeply disturbed at the recent events happening in this country, especially after such a long history of racism that still exists today,” DeFosse said. “I had attended a peaceful protest in Gorham that went very smoothly, and I wanted something like that to take place in Windham as well. Since no one else seemed to be stepping up to do something here, I decided I would take it on myself. I reached out to Celine, who is an event planner, to help me make it actually happen.”

To make sure that the walk and protest would remain peaceful, they reached out to the Windham Police Department for assistance.

“Looping the Windham PD into this peaceful protest was important to us because we wanted to ensure the safety of community members,” Baker said. “The Windham PD took this protest seriously and played a vital role in providing safety measures like blocking off the road, watching for vehicle vandalism, and crowd control if needed. Zach and I are very thankful for the cooperation that the Windham PD showed and their support in shedding light on a topic that demands attention.”

Windham Police Chief Kevin Schofield was instrumental in the collaboration and was also pleased with the event and the respect and honor the police department received before and during the walk.

“We are very pleased with the outcome of the event,” Schofield said. “It was very peaceful and a perfect example of a productive expression of people’s first amendment rights. The event organizers and many attendees thanked us for our work on and supporting the event. [Zack and Celine] communicated with us throughout the planning process, which was very helpful, specifically for our planning. We also communicated with them of our plans to support the event.”

Attendees had a moment to express their thoughts on social justice during the stopover at the Public Safety Building, which included laying on the ground for nine minutes in honor and memory of George Floyd.

DeFosse began with opening statements to include the following:

“It's important for people to realize that the phrase ‘Black Lives Matter’ does not mean that black lives are more important than other lives,” said DeFosse. “It simply means that in our society today, people of color are not treated as fairly and justly as white people; therefore, it is untrue and unfair to say that all lives matter until our actions show that black lives matter.” 

Others had a moment to express their thoughts including Portland author Abdi Nor Iftin who was invited to attend and speak at the event. He shared his story on social justice as an immigrant and then asked:

“Where do we start with social justice? We read, we write, we walk, we talk.”

Others who spoke, shared their own stories. The theme of their thoughts on social justice was stated best by Windham resident, Kyron Hobdy.

“Nobody is seeking special treatment; we all want to be treated the same.”

After the event in a recent interview, Schofield shared his thoughts on social justice and how the all officers are selected to honor it.

“I think many terms we are hearing recently have very different meaning to different people, thus it is important for everyone to listen objectively to one another with an open mind,” Schofield said. “The best answer I can give is to quote one of the speakers at the protest, ‘nobody is seeking special treatment, we all want to be treated the same.’ The hiring standards for LE officers are very high, the hiring process include physical agility testing, in-depth background investigations, psychological assessments, poly graph examinations. Also, after 18 weeks of training we put cadets through 14 weeks of field training before being cleared to work patrol. When hiring people, we look for candidates who demonstrated a level of community involvement, civic organizations, volunteer work and other experiences that indicate candidates are community service oriented. I feel our officers excel at this.” 

In this small community of Windham, many people from all walks of life are working to overcome the social justice issues we face today, using their first amendment rights in a proactive and productive way with the hope that one day equality will prevail.

“I think that it’s safe to say that Zach and I have grown up in a world that has faced and overcome many social issues,” Baker said. “As young adults we feel that it is imperative to use our voices now to foster a more accepting and inclusive community for the future. Personally, I wanted to show people of color in the Windham community that they are not alone. The day of the peaceful protest, I stood as an ally. I stood as a member of their community who wants to make sure they are not alone in the fight for racial equality. I stood to support, learn from, and love them.” <

Anonymous tip system helps keep community safe

The Windham Police Department is offering
a free app for smart phone users to report
crime tips anonymously. COURTESY PHOTO

By Elizabeth Richards

Windham residents now have access to a new tool to help keep their community safe. With the introduction of the new Windham PD App, developed by tip411, anonymous tips can be submitted via the app, text, or website.

“The mission of the Windham Police Department is to provide the citizens of the town of Windham a safe, secure community in which the protection of life and property are the highest  priority,” said Kevin L. Schofield, Chief of Police, in a press release. “Making it easier for residents to connect with us to provide information is paramount to our efforts, and we believe our new tip411 system will help keep our community safe.”

The idea rose out of an old system that was in place years ago that centered around combatting underage drinking said Capt. William Andrew. With that system, someone could call and leave a tip about a party, or if someone needed help.

Managing that individually was difficult, Andrew said, so the department began to explore other platforms that were available to the general public.

The department received a grant from the Be The Influence coalition and partnered with tip411, which is also used by the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency as well as other Maine communities.

A few months of behind the scenes work was necessary before launching the app, such as development of apps for both Apple and android products; determining who would receive the tips; getting quotes for the cost of the service; and exploring the cost to include the school department as they develop an avenue for submitting school-related tips, which will be available at a later date. 

Tips submitted to the anonymous tip line will trigger an email alert that goes to specific members of the Windham police department. Tips will also be monitored as they are received by the dispatch center at Cumberland County Regional Communications Center. 

“Some tips don’t need immediate attention,” Andrew said.  Others need to be addressed right away.  The dispatch center will monitor incoming tips and triage the calls to determine if they need to be brought to the department’s attention immediately.”

Andrew said it’s important to know that the tip411 system does not take the place of dialing 9-1-1 in an emergency. In emergency situations, people should still use 911 so the department can get help to those who need it immediately.

The tip411 technology removes all identifying information before the police department receive the tips, making these communications completely anonymous. 

Tips can be sent from a smartphone using the free Windham PD app; by text message to 847411 by typing the keyword WPDTIPS, a space, and then the tip information before hitting send; or through the anonymous web tip form on the Windham PD website (www.windhammaine.us/170/Police), by clicking the tip411 logo.

The free Windham PD app can be downloaded from the iTunes App Store, the Google Play Store, or from the city website. <

Police and fire departments help three year old have an awesome birthday

Parker Coopenrath getting ready for his birthday parade

By Matt Pascarella

During this weird time, it’s difficult to make fairly regular activities happen. When Caitlin Coppenrath’s son, Parker was about to celebrate his third birthday, a regular party was not going to happen. After some creative planning and help from Windham Police Department, Windham Fire and Rescue, Gorham Patrol and the Cumberland County Sheriff, on Sunday, March 29th on Chute Road in Windham, Parker Coppenrath was thrown an amazing parade he won’t forget for a while.
After plans for a bounce house with friends and family seemed unlikely to happen, Coppenrath and her husband got creative.

“We had seen on the news that many teachers around the state were doing mini parades to wave hello to their students. On social media we saw some drive-by baby showers happening...,” said Coppenrath. Her aunt suggested a parade. Friends and family would drive by and wish Parker a happy birthday (while social distancing) and Coppenrath immediately started planning.

Coppenrath works with Courtney Edwards, the wife of Gorham police officer, Sears Edwards, and had asked her if maybe one police car could be a part of the parade, as Parker lights up whenever he sees police cars, fire trucks or ambulances. Officer Edwards was not working that day, but talked with Sargent Ray Williams, of the Windham Police Department, who planned on showing up and driving by.

“I was so incredibly excited that we would have a police car in the parade! I knew Parker would
be...excited,” Coppenrath stated.

As it turned out, there was more than one police car. There was an incredibly long line of police cruisers, fire trucks, and ambulances from Windham Police Department, Gorham Police Department, Cumberland County Sheriffs, and Windham Fire and Rescue and they used their loud speaker to wish
Parker a happy third birthday.

After the emergency vehicle parade, a long line of friends and family, roughly 20 cars, drove by to wish Parker a great year. There were signs, honking, flashing lights, dogs barking in excitement and even someone in a shark costume. Parker was excited to see everyone.
“Wasn’t it fun when all the police cars and fire trucks and ambulances came?” Parker asked his mom afterwards.

Sargent Ray Williams had the Windham Police Department and Fire and Rescue sign a card for him, and sent along some patches and badges, and a pass to go fishing on Sebago lake this summer.
Coppenrath and her husband were amazed and shocked at the community involvement for their special boy and thought the parade was so incredible, it brought tears to their eyes. It’s hard to describe the energy but it was an extremely powerful moment of kindness and support.

“Our hearts are full. I cannot find the words to thank Officer Edwards and Sargent Ray Williams enough for what they put together for us,” stated Coppenrath. “We will never forget this out-pouring of support and love. The willingness and excitement of all involved to be a part of the parade for our son’s third birthday is just remarkable and makes us extremely proud and honored to be a part of this
community.”

Coppenrath added “These are some very challenging times, and we are going to rise above it by sticking together and lifting each other up as we are able! Being creative with our safe social distancing and finding ways to pay it forward will help us through.”

Area elected officials work to increase safety at dangerous intersections in Windham

Windham Delegation are teaming up with others to make
Windham intersections safe

By Lorraine Glowczak

In late November, Windham’s Legislators met with Chief Kevin Schofield and Captain Andrew Williams of the Windham Police Department along with Town Council Chair Jarrod Maxfield and members of MaineDOT (Department of Transportation) and the owners of All In One Insulation, for an on-site visit at the dangerous intersection of Route 302 and Albion Road.

Rep. Mark Bryant explained that the on-site visit was requested by the Windham Legislative Delegation.  “We reviewed crash data and discussed short- and long-term solutions to improve safety at this dangerous intersection as well as other roads in Windham,” Bryant state. 

“Diane and I have lived in our home on the Albion Road for over 30 years and have come upon many accidents at the dangerous intersection of route 302 and Albion Road, as well as the dangerous intersection of Route 202 and Falmouth Road. There have been many improvements to both intersections over the years, but the population of Greater Windham has grown. The increase in traffic warrants immediate corrective action to promote the safety of our community on our roads. We are also working to speed up the implementation of the scheduled improvements to Route 202 and Falmouth Road.”

The crash rate at the Route 302/Albion Road intersection is higher than the statewide average, presently at .83 where the statewide average is .14 which alerts the need for change and safety.

According to Chief Schofield, there have been 25 crashes at that location in the past five years. “Twenty-four out of those 25 had some level of personal injury,” he said.

At the Monday meeting last month, MaineDOT continued to review the traffic and crash data to determine the best resolution to improve safety. Possible long-term solutions discussed included whether or not a traffic signal or a flashing beacon be best warranted at this location. 

Meghan Russo, Manager of Legislative and Constituent Services stated , “There were a few near future items the MaineDOT State Traffic Engineer, Steve Landry, believed could be beneficial. Those included extending one of the medians on Route 302 and painting both medians green as well as installing tubular markers on both Route 302 islands.  It also included moving the stop bar on one of the Albion Road approaches, extending the edge lines on Route 302 through the intersection to define it better, and painting ‘Stop Ahead’ on the Albion Road approach with the hill.”

“The Albion Road and 302 intersection has been a concern for many of my constituents for some time,” stated Rep. Patrick Corey. “Recent trends in residential development have and will continue to increase the number of folks using that intersection to access a major thoroughfare. Windham’s people will be safer with these necessary improvements initiated by Windham’s Legislative Delegation and our ongoing work with the town and MDOT.”

As Rep. Bryant mentioned, there has also been a focus on the intersection of Route 202 and Falmouth Road. Senator Bill Diamond stated that there has been updated discussions with MDOT to expedite an implementation date for the traffic lights that have been DOT approved at this intersection. “The most recent accident at that ‘high crash’ intersection only accentuates the need for it to be upgraded as soon as possible,” Diamond said. “Mark, Patrick and I have been raising the level of urgency with DOT and I talked with the Commissioner last Thursday and the staff is looking at the possibility of a new implementation timeline.”

Jarrod Maxfield, Chair of the Windham Town Council stated that road safety is of concern to the Council, as they receive many calls from Windham residents. Maxfield explained that from a town council perspective, Route 302 is a state road. “We can definitely make our concerns known to the state, but in the end, it is a state road and a state decision. But I have to give a lot of credit to Rep. Bryant and the Windham delegation for getting all the parties together in the same room to get the ball rolling and make this intersection safer.”

Diamond continued, “Having MDOT safety officials actually come to Windham to see firsthand the dangerous intersections like Route 302 and Albion Road and the Falmouth Road and Route 202 makes a big difference in securing safety improvements. The Windham Legislative Delegation works as a team and we will continue to engage state agencies whenever necessary to protect the safety of our citizens.”