BANGOR, Maine — The Bangor Police Department building on Summer Street will be dedicated in honor of former department Chief Don Winslow, who died of cancer last summer.
The Bangor City Council voted unanimously Monday night to place a plaque recognizing Winslow’s contributions to the department and city during his 28-year career in a “prominent spot” at the police station.
Winslow’s wife, Dora, attended the meeting with family friend Corenna O’Brien, who brought the dedication proposal to the city.
After reading the dedication order, Councilor Joe Baldacci, who was on the council when Winslow was hired as police chief in 1998, said it was “one of the best decisions that this city has ever made.”
Winslow’s support was instrumental in the effort to build the new police headquarters along Main Street, according to city councilors. The $8 million building opened in 2006.
Winslow retired in 2007 and was diagnosed with cancer in 2010. He successfully fought the disease, but it returned in 2014, just as he was preparing for the Penobscot County Sheriff’s race. Several months later, Winslow decided to halt chemotherapy treatments.
Don Winslow died July 10 at age 57.
“I’m very sorry about the loss and appreciate his service,” an emotional Baldacci said to an emotional Dora Winslow.
The city will work with members of the Winslow family to compose the wording that will appear on the plaque.
In other police business Monday, the council held a first reading of a resolve that the department would purchase a new police dog. The city will work with a Gorham-based company that trains dogs for police, military and personal protection. That breeder has trained dogs for police departments in Portland, Freeport, Ellsworth and Presque Isle in recent years.
The council will make an official vote during the Jan. 26 council meeting. The dog would be purchased using $8,000 from the state’s drug seizure trust account.
The city also accepted $900 from Valarie Grant of Brewer-based LogoMotion. She has been making T-shirts featuring the Duck of Justice for Bangor Police Department.
The stuffed male wooden duck started appearing in Bangor police Facebook posts last year and quickly gained international fame, sparking calls for memorabilia, to which the Bangor Police Department answered.
Grant creates and sells the T-shirts, giving a portion of the proceeds to the city. The Bangor Police Department plans on using those funds to pay for outreach programs. Sgt. Tim Cotton, who oversees the department’s social media and communications, said the department likely will use the money for children’s causes, such as bicycle safety programs.
Police Chief Mark Hathaway told the council the donation represents the sale of about 200 T-shirts, but at least another 100 have been sold to date and he expects the city will see additional donations in the future.
Order forms are available on the police department’s Facebook page.
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter @nmccrea213.