Gorham town councilors took their discussion about filling the vacant police chief position behind closed doors on Tuesday after accepting an independent report that outlined issues in the police department.

Police have been without a chief since Nov. 4, when Ronald Shepard, now a town councilor, retired and his second in command, Lt. Christopher Sanborn, was appointed acting chief.

Gorham paid Dacri Associates $15,000 for a study of the department. Councilors have said the recently released report serves as a tool as they ponder a process to find a chief.

Rick Dacri briefed the Town Council Tuesday on his report, which pointed to remarks attributed to officers of insufficient training and equipment, facility problems and morale issues that indicate dissention in the ranks.

“I’m furious,” Town Councilor Matthew Robinson said in Tuesday’s meeting. “If people are this unhappy, they don’t have to stay.”

When contacted Wednesday, Robinson said complaints that the council “does not support the police department” is what put him on edge.

Robinson said the department receives new cruisers and pointed out that construction of a new police headquarters approved by voters would soon begin. The town hasn’t replaced a former canine unit, which was eliminated a few years ago in a budget move that Robinson said saved an officer’s position.

“Morale is a double-edge sword,” Robinson said. “You can’t fix morale from the top down.”

Robinson praised Dacri.

“I thought the guy did a great job on the report,” he said.

Dacri interviewed town and school officials, business leaders and police department ranks. The police officers’ remarks also mentioned excellent pay and professional staff in a mix that also cited favoritism, lack of accountability, camaraderie and transparency.

In hiring a police chief, the town faces two options – hiring from within or conducting an open search.

“I’m a huge supporter of promoting from within,” Robinson said.

Dacri’s report recommends an open search and to “invite Lt. Sanborn to become a candidate.”

Gorham’s police union supports a search process to find a chief. Sgt. Daniel Young, president of Gorham’s local of the police association, said this week the local, in a secret ballot, voted 16-2 in support of looking outside.

“We’re not excluding him (Sanborn)” from participating, Young said.

Young said the department is short of manpower and being without a chief since November has placed stress on Lt. Sanborn and the sergeants.

“We all have to pick up the slack,” Young said.

In Dacri’s report, police remarks included a lack of transparency of internal investigations as an issue.

Dacri on Tuesday recommended further analysis of morale.

Domestic violence, Dacri’s report cited, was raised by an external agency that had concerns about the issue in the Gorham Police Department. Two officers, the American Journal learned in freedom of access requests, in recent years were disciplined after domestic abuse investigations by an external agency.

In August last year, then Police Chief Ronald Shepard issued a letter of reprimand to School Resource Officer Mark Sanborn. The letter cited violations of Gorham Police Department operating procedures.

According to Shepard’s letter, Mark Sanborn had been served with a temporary protection of abuse order initiated by his wife. But according to court documents, she later dismissed the complaint.

Mark Sanborn is brother of the acting chief.

Jerry Hinton of Tideview Group was hired to conduct an investigation.

The American Journal also has learned that Shepard, in an April 17, 2012, letter, disciplined Officer Dean Hannon following an investigation by Hinton into a protection of abuse order filed by Hannon’s former wife, Carole Snow Hannon.

According to documents in Portland District Court, Lt. Sanborn on Feb. 29, 2012, served Hannon with a temporary order for protection sought by Carole Snow Hannon. But she dismissed the complaint on March 5, 2012.

“I have reviewed the investigation report submitted by Mr. Jerry Hinton concerning allegations made by Carol Snow, which prompted a temporary protection from abuse order being brought against you,” Shepard wrote to Hannon.

Shepard wrote that the allegations that were substantiated violated department policies. Shepard placed Hannon on one-day unpaid leave, required him to attend conflict resolution, and review the domestic violence policies with his police superiors.

In another letter on April 18, 2012, Shepard wrote, “When you are on-duty, you are prohibited from having any direct or indirect contact with Carol Snow. This includes phone contact, texting, e-mails, Facebook, or third party contacts.”

Hannon, 40, who last year received a life-saving commendation, joined the Gorham Police Department in September 2003, according to town records.

A similar temporary order of protection initiated by Carole Hannon had been served on Hannon in court in Portland on May, 3, 2011, but dismissed by the plaintiff on May 6, 2011.

On Jan. 15, 2013, Shepard served Hannon with a summons for protection of abuse and a temporary order of protection sought by Carole Hannon, but her request was denied by York County District Court in a hearing on Jan. 24, 2013.

While internal matters have surfaced as issues in the Police Department, Dacri said Tuesday that people in Gorham feel safe. Dacri reported that Gorham is growing and he cited traffic as a problem that strains police and rescue personnel.

Dacri said Gorham is a truck route and he described the town as a bedroom community.

“Gorham is facing an increase in crime,” Dacri said.

Robinson said in Tuesday’s meeting that Gorham taxpayers didn’t have negative comments in the report about police. Gorham is a “great place” to live and work, Robinson said.

Wednesday, Robinson said that Lt. Sanborn has done the job that the Town Council has asked him to do as acting chief and at previous times Sanborn had also served as acting chief.

“I think Chris has done a great job,” Robinson said.