In a recent lunchtime discussion with eight town residents, Police Chief David Ruger talked about the future of his department, the role of mental health in police work, drugs, teens and – always a big topic in town – traffic.
During the one-hour pizza lunch hosted by the South Berwick Public Library, Ruger responded to a wide range of questions, confirming that traffic is the biggest problem facing his department and that he is diligently trying to recruit a 12th officer to ease the situation.
Traffic is increasing, intersection backups are longer, and some drivers consider the 25 miles-per-hour speed limit merely a suggestion, Ruger said. Traffic and road construction create daily challenges, he said, admitting that even he sometimes takes back roads to get to work.
Better technology and targeted policing would help the traffic situation, Ruger said, noting the department recently installed equipment on telephone poles that documents the fastest and slowest speeds, days, and times, which help officers on patrol.
Once the department has hired another officer, it will have the capacity to dedicate an officer to traffic control, Ruger said. He spoke optimistically of a possible new hire, but since then that recruit was unable to pass the tests required for enrollment at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, so the search continues.
“Once we have 12 positions filled, I will move one officer to a traffic position so patrol can take care of other services,” he said. “Eventually I think we will need 16 people.” He did not suggest a timeline for the expansion.
More than 22,000 cars and trucks travel through South Berwick each day, he said, and traffic is expected to increase in the future, especially with business development along Route 236.
Traffic will be eased in the next couple of years by implementing downtown stop lights, better crosswalk lighting, and improved traffic flow – all of them part of the town’s revitalization project.
“It’s a beautiful plan and should be in place by 2026,” he said.
Residents also asked about drugs, officer training, mental health in the community, and department leadership.
As he described during the luncheon, Ruger began his career in law enforcement 27 years ago as a part-time dispatcher in South Berwick, then went to the Police Academy in 2001 to become a patrol officer. He was made sergeant in 2012, lieutenant in 2021 and chief in April 2022.
All South Berwick on-duty officers wear body cameras, attend continuing education programs and participate in local events, and the department wants to interact more with the community, the chief said, citing its recent revival of the National Night Out family event.
“It was a fantastic event, and we plan to make it even better next year,” he said.
Regarding drugs, Ruger said police are getting fewer overdose calls because of the availability of Narcan, a medicine that rapidly reverses an opioid overdose.
More people carry and administer Narcan “and by law, all our officers carry it,” Ruger said. He acknowledged Narcan can save a life, but said it does not end the problem of addiction.
He believes in treating his officers “like gold,” focusing on wellness, leadership development, and staying current with technology. The department recently purchased a drone to protect both the public and the officers and upgraded to 9 mm guns with higher capacity magazines to be consistent with other police departments in Maine.
At the luncheon, Ruger introduced Erin McGann, a mental health rehabilitation therapist from Sweetser, a Maine behavioral health nonprofit agency with a network of community-based services. McGann was recently added to the South Berwick police team and works with departments throughout York County.
“If an officer has a call about a mental health issue. I go along, try to ease the situation and take some of the pressure off the police,” McCann said. “If negotiation is needed, the state police have negotiators we can call.”
“Erin has been well received,” said Ruger, “and officers come back after a call with her amazed at her skills to calm a situation.”
Mental health is important for officers, and Ruger said he requires all of them to attend an individual session with a psychologist once a year.
“I love going there as well,” he said. “We started this focus on wellness in 2022 and will continue it. We also invited the psychologist to come a few times a year to our department meetings.”
One resident asked about police dealings with teenagers, and said she recently noticed police who seemed to be harassing a group of apparently undeserving teens. Ruger asked to be notified of any incidents like that because he can review body camera footage “to get at the issues.”
He noted the department also has a school resource officer who mainly works at the high school and is focused on teens.
Two residents at the luncheon explicitly praised local police. One woman arrived late and apologized, then expressed her gratitude.
“I just wanted to thank the police. They have been so kind and helpful, your officers and all your people,” she said..
Another resident spoke about stopping along Route 236 with a flat tire, and a police cruiser came up behind him. An officer told him to stay in his car, and then the two officers changed his tire.
“That’s a great example of community policing,” commented Ruger. “We’d like to do more of that.”
Ruger ended the session by praising the longevity of his staff “with no major problems in over 20 years.” He laughingly called the department “Hotel California,” saying, “Once they join, they never leave.”
The library’s lunch with town officials is held the third Tuesday of each month, and includes free pizza.
