News

Top cop in Maine banned after faking report to flee meeting

Top cop in Maine banned after faking report to flee meeting

Photo: 560 WGAN Newsradio


FRYEBURG, Maine (AP) A former Maine police chief wanted to skip out of a public meeting so badly that it cost him his career.

A law enforcement oversight board has decided to revoke the license of former Fryeburg Police Chief Joshua Potvin after an investigation found Potvin, who had been chief for six years, invented a suspicious person report so he could ditch a Fryeburg Board of Selectmen meeting in February 2020.

The Maine Criminal Justice Academy decision said Potvin engaged in a multi-step fraud that began with texting one of his officers and asking her to call him out of the meeting. Potvin then drove his cruiser to the Fryeburg Fairgrounds.

Potvin then used the computer in his cruiser to create a false entry in the department dispatch system that said he drove there in response to a report of a suspicious person, the academy found. He also entered a fairground employee’s license plate number into the entry.

The academy voted in February to take away Potvin’s license. The details of the investigation then became public this month, the Bangor Daily News reported.

Potvin has waived his right of appeal. He resigned last year. The decision bars Potvin from working in Maine law enforcement again.

Potvin did not respond to a request for comment from the Bangor Daily News.

Latest Headlines

21 hours ago in Local

Police Looking for Missing Washington County Teen

The Washington County Sheriff's Office are looking for 16-year-old Lilyanna Rose Cook, who was last seen in Roque Bluffs, Maine.

1 day ago in Local

Struck-down Maine citizen’s referendum on super PAC donations heads to appeals court

Despite getting over 75% of the vote, a Portland judge deemed the referendum unconstitutional this past summer, citing the ruling made by the Supreme Court on the 2010 Citizen's United case.

2 days ago in Local

Police find missing teen after vehicle pursuit in Skowhegan

A missing teenager was found in the vehicle of a Norridgewock man who police say led them on a chase in Skowhegan on Thursday.

2 days ago in Local

Maine State Police seeking information about bank fraud suspect in Aroostook County and Bangor

A woman is wanted for bank fraud in Bangor and Aroostook County.

2 days ago in Local

What to Know About Maine U.S. Senate Race

Democrats are hoping to unseat Republican Susan Collins.