BANGOR, Maine — Police Chief Mark Hathaway on Wednesday issued his first promotion when he made Officer Wade Betters — a 12-year veteran officer — a sergeant while family, friends and co-workers watched.
Hathaway, who officially became the city ’s police chief on May 13, said a few words and then let Betters’ father pin on his new golden sergeant badge, Sgt. Paul Edwards said.
“Wade’s dad’s took the patrol badge off and put the gold one on,” he said.
Betters started at Bangor Police Department on Feb. 20, 2001, and has worked the evening shift his entire patrol career. He was certified as a Drug Recognition Expert in May 2004.
“Sgt. Betters has a keen sense and extensive education in drunk driving and drug recognition with many OUI and drug arrests,” Edwards said in a press release.
Betters was selected to work at the local office of the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency in November 2008, “where he again excelled before coming back to patrol in December 2011,” the sergeant said.
In his dozen years with the department, “Sgt. Betters has numerous letters of commendation, job well done memos, and letters of thanks from citizens, his supervisors — all the way up to the chief of police — and professionals in the public,” Edwards said.