Hallowell’s police chief is leaving the department for a less-complicated job. But he’s not leaving the police force entirely.
Scott MacMaster, who served as Hallowell’s police chief for nearly three years, has accepted a position as a patrol officer at his former department in Gardiner. MacMaster gave his notice on Jan. 24, according to the Kennebec Journal.
MacMaster isn’t the only police chief in Maine who sought life in the slower lane. In early November 2021, Orono’s former police chief Josh Ewing announced he would be taking a position on Hampden’s police force as a patrol officer.
The unconventional shift came after Ewing served in various roles at the Orono department for more than 20 years. With police departments coming under intense scrutiny following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, Ewing was ready to get out from behind a desk, he told the Bangor Daily News at the time.
MacMaster cited personal reasons for his departure, and was unavailable for comment on Thursday. He will serve his last day as chief on Feb. 17, the Kennebec Journal reported.