The leader of the Maine State Police has announced his retirement.
According to a statement from the Dept. of Public Safety, Col. John Cote will leave his post on Sept. 30.
He has worked at the agency for 33 years.
Cote has accepted a position at Hartt Transportation Systems in Bangor, where he will serve as the Eastern Region Director of Safety.
Cote was appointed in 2018 by former Gov. Paul Lepage.
By law, the responsibility of naming a successor falls on Gov. Janet Mills and Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck.
In the state of Maine, state police chiefs serve four-year terms.
His replacement will have to be confirmed by the Maine Legislature.
Sauschuck called Col. Cote a “consummate professional.”
He told the Portland Press Herald that Cote “has led the Maine State Police with honor and grace during an incredibly difficult time” for law enforcement officers.
