ROCKLAND, Maine — Two veteran police officers have been promoted, the Rockland police chief announced Monday.
Officer Joel Neal was promoted to detective, Chief Bruce Boucher said in a news release, and Sgt. Russell Thompson has been named acting detective sergeant.
The promotions follow the January appointment of Christopher Young as deputy chief. Young had held the rank of detective sergeant.
“Detective Neal is a dedicated professional, who is respected by his peers, displays a strong work ethic and performs his duties consistent with the department’s values,” Boucher said.
Neal is a 17-year veteran with the Rockland Police Department. He has held a variety of positions within the department including field training officer, motorcycle patrol officer and harbor patrol member. He is a certified instructor in firearms and Taser law enforcement use for the department and the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.
Neal is a 1997 graduate of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and has recently retired after spending a combined 30 years of active duty and reserve duty with the U. S. Army. He and his wife, Heidi, live in Rockland.
Boucher said Thompson is a “dedicated professional who has worked tirelessly as a detective for the police department and the city.”
“I am very confident that Russ will be able to lead the criminal investigations division and continue with the legacy of being a division that is called upon for its expertise not only by other members of the Rockland Police Department but by other law enforcement agencies as well,” Boucher said.
Thompson is a veteran of the U.S. Navy and has been with the Rockland Police Department for 19 years. He has held a variety of positions including patrol officer, harbor patrol member and motorcycle patrol member. Thompson became a certified instructor in firearms, investigations and evidence gathering through the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. In 2009, he became a department firearms instructor and is now the lead firearms instructor within the department.