Here’s Why The Hallowell, Maine, Police Department Now Only Has Two Officers

The Hallowell, Maine, Police Department now only has two police officers, according to the Kennebec Journal.

That's a number that has both city officials and residents alike concerned.

The newspaper reported there are a couple of big factors that work against the retention of officers in the city of Hallowell: the department is in the basement of City Hall and hasn't been updated in years and the technology in the city's patrol cars is dated and the cars haven't been updated since 2019 due to city budget restrictions.

On Monday night there was a City Council meeting in Hallowell where a motion to look at updating the police department's working space and potentially work on increasing pay for officers was approved, according to the Kennebec Journal.

The newspaper noted that there have been talks about moving the department, but that's a long-term solution.

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Hallowell City Council, at least for the interim, has asked the Kennebec County Sheriff's Office and the Maine State Police to increase patrols in the city of Hallowell, according to the Kennebec Journal.

So, at least for the time being, there will only ever be one Hallowell police officer on duty at any given time, at least until some changes are made and the city can hire the other officers it needs to get back up to its desired staffing totals of 5, the newspaper reported.

The Kennebec Journal included in its reporting that Hallowell City Manager Gary Lamb wrote in a memo to the City Council in August:

“We know our officer pay is not attracting applicants. Our police station office space is disgusting and a very negative influence on recruitment. It is a damp space prone to flooding and mold, and it looks like zero maintenance has been performed for a great many decades.”