Thomas Connolly Jr. and Robert Moulton, the police chiefs of Sanford and Scarborough, respectively, are planning to retire this year.

They will join a growing list of retired chiefs from southern Maine communities. Freeport’s chief of police, Susan Nourse, retired at the end of 2020, and former Westbrook Police Chief Janine Roberts, retired in January.

Connolly, 67, had been talking about retirement for some time. Connolly, who has been in law enforcement for 41 years, said Sunday evening he is planning to retire July 23. He and his wife are building a house in Florida.

The city of Sanford is actively seeking a candidate to replace Connolly, who has served as the city’s police chief since July 20, 2007. The deadline for candidates to apply for the position is March 26. The city said it expects to fill the opening in July.

Moulton, who has served as Scarborough’s police chief since 1999, announced on Facebook this month that he was leaving. He reflected on his law enforcement career in a farewell message posted on Facebook.

“Over the years I was fortunate to have worked in nearly every position, rank and assignment in the department before becoming Chief in May of 1999 some 22 years after the first time I sat in the Chief’s office,” Moulton wrote. “Today, some 44 years later, I am announcing my retirement on July 3, 2021. It truly has been an honor.”

Moulton said he started working in the summer of 1977 for the Scarborough Police Department as a reserve officer, enforcing parking regulations at town beaches. “As the summer got into full swing I was walking a footbeat during the day time and got the opportunity to drive a cruiser at Prout’s Neck during some of the evenings. I could not believe all the things that actually happen even in a small town and the excitement of it all was something I never experienced before,” Moulton recalled.

In January 1978, Moulton accepted an offer to become a Scarborough police officer.

“I applied and got that job and never looked back,” he wrote.

Roberts, who had been in law enforcement for 35 years, announced late last year that she was planning to retire in January 2021 and would form a consulting firm – Chief Cupcake’s Consulting, through which she will offer workplace safety training to help businesses and their employees prepare for emergencies, disasters and threats of all kinds. Cupcake was a nickname that stuck with her during her years as an officer with the Portland Police Department.