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| Aroostook Republican photo/Lisa Wilcox Caribou Police Chief Michael Gahagan is congratulated by Mayor Ken Murchison and the full city council during Monday’s regular meeting for receiving the Maine Commission for Community Service’s 2012 Champion of Service Award. |
By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Caribou Police Chief Michael Gahagan was awarded the Maine Commission for Community Service’s annual Champion of Service Award during the Blaine House Conference on Service and Volunteerism held at the University of Maine at Orono on Oct. 9.
The City of Caribou honored Gahagan, however, during their city council meeting on Oct. 22. Interim City Manager Peggy Daigle read from Wentworth’s remarks and presented the chief with the Champion of Service Award. On behalf of the Council, Caribou Mayor Ken Murchison also presented Gahagan with a congratulatory award recognizing Gahagan for his achievement.
“When one of our own is honored, the community is honored,” Murchison remarked as he congratulated Gahagan for a job well done.
Gahagan offered a heartfelt thank you to the council and those present, referring to the experience as “humbling.”
Gahagan, who has been with the Caribou Police Department since 1973 and was promoted to chief of police in 2005, is no stranger to being given state awards. In 1995 he received the Governor’s Award for Alcohol and Drug Prevention Education, and in 2008 he received both the Silver Spike Award from the Maine Benzodiazepine Study Group and the Bridge Award from the Aroostook Substance Abuse Prevention Committee.
In remarks delivered by Barbara Wentworth, a member of the Maine Commission for Community Service and the conference chair, it was revealed that Gahagan was nominated by the City of Caribou.
“[Chief Gahagan] really is a positive role model for the men in his department, the citizens of our community and even statewide. It has been an honor and a privilege to work with him over the years. I can see the difference he has made in the community as a result of his dedication to public service,” Wentworth quoted from one of the nomination letters.
The police chief is the member of 24 organizations, coalitions and community projects in the area. For more than two decades, he has been active in CADET, the Caribou Alcohol and Drug Enforcement Team. He also serves as a member of the Aroostook Council for Healthy Families, Caribou Communities for Children and Aroostook Cares, among others.
According to Wentworth’s remarks, community members also listed many of Gahagan’s other positive contributions, such as, coordinating programs, providing important input and guidance to community groups, playing an integral role in community responses to drug and alcohol issues, being incredibly supportive and helpful to those with ideas on how to solve problems, always thinking of others, and proactive in his approach to keeping the community safe.
“And, while his role in the community is a paid public servant, the nominators emphasized that Chief Gahagan not only supported others in their community service, but also gives much of his personal time to those activities. And, on top of it all, he is a long-time volunteer firefighter in Caribou,” Wentworth continued.
Wentworth also pointed out that Gahagan has been an active leader in the Aroostook Chiefs of Police Association, the International Chiefs of Police Association, and he just completed a term as president of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association.
Chief Gahagan was out of the country when the award was presented, so it was accepted on his behalf by Roland Lacroix, UMaine’s police chief.
