VASSALBORO — Several police officers employed by a number of York County municipalities are among 63 officers who graduated Friday from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro.

The officers spent 18 weeks in study and training, said Maine Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland. Among the topics studied by the new officers were crime scene processing, emergency vehicle operation, first aid, traffic and criminal law, domestic violence and sexual assault.

“You’ve entered a noble and honorable profession to keep our communities safe” said graduation speaker Maine Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck. “Maine law enforcement has many challenges, but you have received the best training to protect the public, and to protect yourselves.”

One of the 10 new officers in York County is Christopher D. Carney, who is employed by Kennebunk Police. His badge was pinned by his father, Mark Carney, who has been a Kennebunk Police Department School Resource Officer for 15 of his 21 years with the agency.

The other new area officers include: Jonathan R. Cotton, Joseph C. Donilon, Derek L. Moore and John D. Shirk, with Biddeford Police; Hunter R. Smith, with Buxton Police; Chantel C. Allen, Joel C. Gott and Morgan L. Royal, with Saco Police; and Sean S. Remick, with the Wells Police.

According to the Maine Criminal Justice Academy website, the origin of organized law enforcement training in Maine dates back to the late 1960s when the Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Agency made funds available through the Maine Criminal Justice Planning and Assistance Agency for improving the operation of the criminal justice system. Using this as seed money, the Maine Municipal Association initiated a two-week law enforcement training program offered in the Portland, Augusta, and Bangor regions. A Board of Directors, consisting of law enforcement officials, was charged with overseeing the program and encouraging law enforcement agencies to support the training.

In the early 1970s, the Mandatory Training Act was passed for law enforcement personnel and in 1972, the former Thomas College in Waterville was purchased to provide permanent facilities for the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. Since that time, the scope of activities at the Academy has steadily increased.

In 1990, new legislation required that all law enforcement officers, state, county and municipal, who have the power of arrest and the authority to carry a firearm come under the purview of the Academy’s Board of Trustees. This has greatly increased the responsibilities and tasks of the Academy.

Academy staff and programs were moved to a new facility in Vassalboro in 2000 and it also was the first year that all law enforcement officers were required to complete mandatory in-service refresher training. A year later in 2001, the Municipal/County Basic Police School, Maine State Police Academy and the State Law Enforcement Basic School were combined into one program, an 18-week Basic Law Enforcement Training Program.

The Maine Criminal Justice Academy is now responsible for the development and implementation of comprehensive training programs both at the academy and through outreach programs across the state.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 780-9016 or twells@journaltribune.com.