South Berwick police made 272 motor vehicle stops between Dec. 29 and Jan. 11 that involved 242 warnings issued for traffic violations, 22 court summonses, and eight arrests, part of a record number of traffic stops for any Maine community.
In a report relayed at the Jan. 13 Town Council meeting, Chief David Ruger said his officers have “stepped up their motor vehicle stops to keep the roadways of South Berwick safe.”
In a recent three-week period, Ruger said, the local department was the top agency in the state for traffic violation stops other than the Maine State Police turnpike units.
At a community meeting in September 2024, Ruger had pledged to assign a full-time officer to traffic control once the Police Department filled a remaining vacancy in its budgeted 12-person ranks.
“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 at the time. The 12th officer was hired a year later in September 2025.
Since then, police logs have shown more than a 200% increase in motor vehicle stops. In comparison to this year, the police log of Dec. 30 to Jan. 12, 2025, listed a total of 85 vehicle stops.
The eight arrests made during motor vehicle stops in the recent two-week period, according to Deputy Chief Scott Stephens, included:
- Jan. 1, 7:32 a.m., a 31-year-old female from South Berwick was charged with operating after suspension near Cumberland Farms and Route 236
- Jan. 3, 8:05 a.m., a 46-year-old male from Roslindale, Mass., was charged with operating without a valid license near the Town Hall and Main Street
- Jan. 3, 8:35 a.m., a 39-year-old male from Berwick was charged with operating after suspension and attaching false plates near Main and Academy streets
- Dec. 31, 10:03 p.m., a 51-year-old male from Portsmouth, N.H., was arrested on a warrant for operating without a valid license on York Woods Road
- Jan. 8, 6:04 a.m., a 37- year-old male from Berwick was charged with operating with a suspended registration near Route 236 and Farmgate Road
- Jan. 9, 11:04 a.m., a 31-year-old female from Sanford was charged with operating with a suspended registration near Route 236 and Farmgate Road
- Jan. 9, 1:12 p.m., a 27-year-old male from Madbury, N.H., was charged with operating with a suspended registration near Portland and Colcord streets
- Jan. 11, 12:57 p.m., a 26-year old male from York was charged with operating after suspension on Main Street
An additional arrest occurred on Jan 7, 6:51 a.m., when a 38-year-old male from South Berwick was arrested at the Police Department for failing to appear in court on a warrant for charges of theft by unauthorized taking; theft of lost, mislaid or misdelivered property; and misuse of identification, according to Stephens.
There were 11 vehicle accidents during this two-week period, with no injuries reported:
- Dec. 29, 4:42 a.m., Ogunquit Road
- Dec. 30, 3:39 p.m., near Route 236 and Main Street
- Jan. 2, 10:18 a.m., Witchtrot Road
- Jan. 3, 12:35 p.m., Alder Drive
- Jan. 5, 5:40 p.m., near Marshwood High School and Route 236
- Jan. 6, 8:53 a.m., Portland Street
- Jan. 6, 5:46 p.m., near Hussey Landscape Supplies and Route 236
- Jan. 8, 8:55 a.m., Railroad Avenue
- Jan. 9, 11:51 p.m., Elizabeth Road
- Jan. 10, 10:25 a.m., Main Street
- Jan. 10, 9:16 p.m., near Powderhouse Hill and Agamenticus Road
The following is a summary of the police log for Dec. 29 through Jan. 11:
- Motor vehicle stops: 272 (eight arrests, 22 court summonses, 242 warnings)
- Building area checks: 263
- Directed patrols: 113
- Medical assists: 27
- Assist citizens: 23
- Community police contacts: 18
- Mental health checks: 13
- Animal complaints: 8
- Suspicious activities: 4
- Welfare checks: 4
- Parking violations: 3
- Found/lost properties: 2
- Slide offs: 2
- Abandoned motor vehicle: 1
- Disabled motor vehicle: 1
- Disturbance: 1
- Drug incident: 1
- Juvenile offense: 1
- Pedestrian check: 1
- Smoke in building: 1
- Snow ban violation: 1
