The town of Ashland has hired Fort Kent native Christopher Cyr as its new police chief.
Cyr officially began his duties on Nov. 1.
Ashland, a town of about 1,200, is one of a few small communities in Aroostook County that still has its own police force. Van Buren, Limestone and most recently Washburn all closed their police stations, with the Maine State Police and Aroostook County Sheriff’s Department taking over law enforcement duties. Having a new chief means the Ashland department will remain open, which is one thing that inspired Cyr to seek the job.
“There are a lot of us that have retired from law enforcement that just couldn’t bear to see another legacy Aroostook County police department close,” Cyr said. “I couldn’t sit on the sidelines and watch it happen again.”
He felt he had something to contribute and wanted to feel like he was part of the solution, he said.
The former director of risk management at St. Agatha trucking company R.F. Chamberland, Cyr is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps, a former state trooper and also served as a reserve police officer for Ashland and Fort Kent.
Cyr replaces former Chief Cyr Martin, who served the town for 20 years as chief and seven as town manager. He was hired at a salary of $80,000 per year.
Ashland officials are pleased to have hired a new chief, Interim Town Manager Kevin Bushey said.
“The council was very supportive of making sure that we maintain a stable force,” Bushey said. “We’ve been managing using our reserve force and some support from the state police in the past, but we’re moving toward having a full force that won’t require outside assistance.”
The town is still advertising for a permanent town manager, he said.
The Ashland department has five full-time officers and four reserve members. Like law enforcement everywhere, its challenges run the gamut, from issues with drugs and mental illness to property crime, Cyr said. A small, hometown police department can positively affect its community.
“What we’re trying to do here in Ashland is we’re building a team of officers that have a servant’s heart, that are interested in trying to improve the quality of life of the citizens living here in Ashland,” he said.
Small departments often collaborate with other agencies that have more resources, which is what Cyr wants to do to address some of the wide-ranging issues.
His predecessor, Martin, officially retired on Nov. 1, he said. The Aroostook County Police Chiefs Association gave Martin a sendoff during a recent meeting and presented him with a plaque thanking him for his service.
Legacy is important, Cyr said. He’s proud of his Acadian heritage from both parents, and his grandfather, among the original pioneer families, was the first to cross into Madawaska during the great deportation.
Similarly, police departments have deep roots in their communities, many dating back more than a century, Cyr said.
“Once you lose these departments, you never get them back,” he said. “When you lose a police department, you lose part of a town’s identity.”
This story has been amended to include the chief’s salary.
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