HOULTON, Maine — A Florida resident has been hired as the town’s newest patrolman.
Charlie Heath, of Polk County, Florida, was officially sworn in as a patrolman on Nov. 1. He brings 14 years of experience to the police force.
“Charlie wanted to move to the northeast and we were fortunate enough to find him,” Houlton Police Chief Tim DeLuca said. “He comes to us with a lot of experience and training and we are excited to have him.”
Heath spent 14 years in the United States Navy before an injury forced him into a medical retirement. Upon his discharge, Heath enrolled in Florida’s police academy and was hired at the Lake Alford Police Department.
For the past 12 years, he was employed as a master deputy by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office.
A native of Rhode Island, who spent the past 14 years in Florida, Heath said his family had grown tired of the Florida climate and wanted to live in an area that had four seasons.
“We came up to Maine just to explore, and I brought some resumes to pass out,” he said.
Heath said he rented a house in Brownville and started dropping his resume off at numerous police departments and sheriff’s offices throughout the southern part of the state. His wife, Jaime, had researched the state and wanted her husband to check out Houlton. So he made his way north to the Shiretown, where he applied at the Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office.
While in Houlton, he decided to drop off his resume at the Houlton Police Department in case there were any openings. He said he left his resume with the dispatcher shortly after 5 p.m. and by 9 a.m. the next morning, he had received a phone call from Lt. Theron Bickford asking him to come in for an interview.
“I never dreamed I would get a call the very next day,” he said. “I gave my notice, sold my house and moved up here all in the past few weeks. It’s been a whirlwind.”
The Heaths have three children, Kasey Blue, Mariah Heath and Tommy Heath. In his short time in Houlton, Heath said he has been amazed at the open and welcoming nature of the community.
“We love it up here,” he said. “It’s a nice breath of air. I haven’t been hunting or fishing in years, but I plan to now. More than anything, we love the small town community atmosphere.”
The hiring still leaves Houlton’s department with two patrolman vacancies.
