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December 09, 2024 PausedPausedSpecial Announcements CBS News MONEYWATCH - Hackers may have stolen your Social Security number in a massive breach. Here's what to know.
By Aimee Picchi
Edited By Anne Marie Lee
Updated on: August 19, 2024 / 9:51 AM EDT / CBS News
A new lawsuit is claiming hackers have gained access to the personal information of "billions of individuals," including their Social Security numbers, current and past addresses and the names of siblings and parents — personal data that could allow fraudsters to infiltrate financial accounts or take out loans in their names.
The allegation arose in a lawsuit filed earlier this month by Christopher Hofmann, a California resident who claims his identity theft protection service alerted him that his personal information had been leaked to the dark web by the "nationalpublicdata.com" breach. The lawsuit was earlier reported by Bloomberg Law.
The breach allegedly occurred around April 2024, with a hacker group called USDoD exfiltrating the unencrypted personal information of billions of individuals from a company called National Public Data (NPD), a background check company, according to the lawsuit. Earlier this month, a hacker leaked a version of the stolen NPD data for free on a hacking forum, tech site Bleeping Computer reported.
That hacker claimed the stolen files include 2.7 billion records, with each listing a person's full name, address, date of birth, Social Security number and phone number, Bleeping Computer said. While it's unclear how many people that includes, it's likely "that everyone with a Social Security number was impacted," said Cliff Steinhauer, director of information security and engagement at The National Cybersecurity Alliance, a nonprofit that promotes online safety.
"It's a reminder of the importance of protecting yourself, because clearly companies and the government aren't doing it for us," Steinhauer told CBS MoneyWatch.
In a statement posted to its website, NPD said the breach involved a "third-party bad actor that was trying to hack into data in late December 2023, with potential leaks of certain data in April 2024 and summer 2024."
The company added that it is working with law enforcement and government investigators. NPD said it "will try to notify you if there are further significant developments applicable to you."
Here's what to know about the alleged hack.
What is National Public Data?
National Public Data is a data company based in Coral Springs, Florida, that provides background checks for employers, investigators and other businesses that want to check people's backgrounds. Its searches include criminal records, vital records, SSN traces and more information, its website says.
There are many similar companies that scrape public data to create files on consumers, which they then sell to other businesses, Steinhauer said.
"They are data brokers that collect and sell data about people, sometimes for background check purposes," he said. "It's because there's no national privacy law in the U.S. — there is no law against them collecting this data against our consent."
What happened with the USDoD hack?
According to the new lawsuit, USDoD on April 8 posted a database called "National Public Data" on the dark web, claiming to have records for about 2.9 billion individuals. It was asking for a purchase price of $3.5 million, the lawsuit claims.
However, Bleeping Computer reported that the file was later leaked for free on a hacker forum, as noted above.
How many people have been impacted?
The number of people impacted by the breach is unclear. Although the lawsuit claims "billions of individuals" had their data stolen, the total population of the U.S. stands at about 330 million. The lawsuit also alleges that the data includes personal information of deceased individuals.
Bleeping Computer reports that the hacked data involves 2.7 billion records, with individuals having multiple records in the database. In other words, one individual could have separate records for each address where they've lived, which means the number of impacted people may be far lower than the lawsuit claims, the site noted.
The data may reach back at least three decades, according to law firm Schubert Jonckheer & Kolbe, which said on Monday it is investigating the breach.
Did NPD alert individuals about the hack?
It's unclear, although the lawsuit claims that NPD "has still not provided any notice or warning" to Hoffman or other people affected by the breach.
"In fact, upon information and belief, the vast majority of Class Members were unaware that their sensitive [personal information] had been compromised, and that they were, and continue to be, at significant risk of identity theft and various other forms of personal, social, and financial harm," the lawsuit claims.
Information security company McAfee reported that it hasn't found any filings with state attorneys general. Some states require companies that have experienced data breaches to file reports with their AG offices.
However, NPD posted an alert about the breach on its website, stating that it believes the information breached includes names, email addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers and mailing addresses.
Can you find out if your data was part of the hack?
There are tools available that will monitor what information about you is available on the dark web, noted Michael Blair, managing director of cybersecurity firm NukuDo. Commonly breached data includes your personal addresses, passwords and email, he added.
One such service is how Hofmann, who filed the lawsuit, found out that his information has been leaked as part of NPD breach.
"Make sure to use reputable companies to look that up," Blair said.
What should I do to protect my information?
Security experts recommend that consumers put freezes on their credit files at the three big credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Freezing your credit is free, and will stop bad actors from taking out loans or opening credit cards in your name.
"The biggest thing is to freeze your credit report, so it can't be used to open new accounts in your name and commit other fraud in your name," Steinhauer said.
In its statement, NPD also urged people to put free fraud alerts on their accounts, which "tells creditors to contact you before they open any new accounts or change your existing accounts," it said. You'll have to contact just one of the three credit bureaus to create a fraud alert, and that agency will alert the others.
Steinhauer recommends consumers take several additional steps to protect their data and finances:
- Make sure your passwords are at least 16 characters in length, and are complex.
- Use a password manager to save those long, complex passwords.
- Enable multifactor authentication, which Steinhauer calls "critical," because simply using a single password to access your accounts isn't enough protection against hackers.
- Be on alert for phishing and other scams. One red flag is that the scammers will try to create a sense of urgency to manipulate their victims.
- Keep your security software updated on your computer and other devices. For instance, make sure you download the latest security updates from Microsoft or Apple onto your apps and devices.
You can also get a tracking service that will alert you if your data appears on the dark web.
"You should assume you have been compromised and act accordingly," Steinhauer said.
June 21st, 2024 - 8:30 PM
The Maine Association of Police (MAP) stands with its members from the Lewiston Police Patrol Union, our entire membership, and all of our brothers and sisters throughout the state in supporting their statement on the continued failure of our state’s criminal justice system.
It is our hope that our fellow Maine citizens, hearing from the “Boots on the ground”; the dedicated men and women of Maine Law Enforcement and all first responders, are afforded a clearer picture of the very real and present system failures that result in your community’s first responders being the final line of defense in your safety and wellbeing.
In the wake of tragedies, fueled by a wanton press, political posturing and a voraciously uninformed social media landscape, there is an immediate and visceral reaction of “How could this have happened?”. The experiences reflected in our members of the Lewiston Police Patrol Union and other law enforcement associations is a fatal microcosm of what is being experienced throughout the State of Maine and indicative of the steady decline in the cautious and common-sense fielding of our criminal justice system within the bounds of our state law, United States, and State of Maine Constitutions. The same oath that is assumed by ALL representatives of our criminal justice system, swearing on oath and full-fledged allegiance to serve, protect and defend these resolute documents and the laws behind them meant to provide for the order and safety of our cities, towns and state.
It has become clear that in efforts to address social justice issues through political agendas and overzealous constituencies, we have over corrected, portraying Maine as equally awash in upheaval as Washington State, Missouri and Minnesota. The legislature, without seeking input from Maine’s first responders, forwarded a disproportionate, national narrative to pursue matters such as bail reform, decriminalization and a halt to prosecuting misdemeanor, or quality of life crimes that do not correlate to this state.
Enabled by the efforts of small cabals of a partisan legislature, district attorneys and efforts by locally elected government officials, this chase of a national narrative has led us down a road by which we are sacrificing the tenets of our oath for some, at the very real expense of so many other Maine citizens.
As a representative of just one cog in this system, first responders are exasperated, disillusioned, anxious and fearful of the tremendous weight that has been placed on their adherence to our oaths in serving their communitas, which makes them question how these influences have markedly and concernedly lessened the adherence to it by other representatives of our shared system and responsibilities.
Maine Law Enforcement, as well as our fellow first responders, are being forced to shore up a system that allows criminal cases to be “cherry-picked” by defense attorneys rather than ensuring that an individual has access to rights that are the basis for their accountability in the criminal justice process. The 6th amendment, as enshrined in the US Constitution, reads;
"In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and cause of the accusation; to be confronted with the witnesses against him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor, and to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence."– From Congress.Gov, US Constitution
This represents a clear failure by our legislature in allowing this which is the genesis of an individual’s sixth amendment right to counsel; not by choice, but required to be guaranteed by
both our Constitutions as well as our lawmakers, judicial system representatives as well as the state executives that appoint them.
Many Maine citizens may be under the impression, and expectedly so, that the term “You have a right to an attorney” is a mandate, and not the whim or choice of a court or it’s representatives, nor should it impede, the such as in the Auburn tragedy, impede an individual’s right to the other tenets of the sixth amendment which is exactly what was the very avoidable process that was not fielded in expediently addressing the incredibly apparent history and safety risk posed by Leein Hinkley after his staggeringly inexplicable third appearance before the court.
This degeneration of access to the rights of the accused has a direct correlation to the health and safety of victims, our communities and first responders. No matter in what community you reside, we are certain and without doubt, that the outright stress, anxiety and a perceived lack of support has had a cumulative and insidious effect on your police, fire, EMS and dispatchers and their families.
Our frustration and support of our fellow law enforcement brothers and sisters throughout the state is not a means to excoriate specific individuals or representatives of Maine’s criminal justice system. It stems from the Maine Association of Police’s long history in being a voice for Maine law enforcement. Since 1975, MAP has been one of the few state-rooted associations at the forefront of any legislative or partnership affecting all law enforcement throughout the state; as our founding members have engrained in us that, above all else, we stand and fall together, regardless of who we pay dues to and at the end of the day, loyalty and truth to each other is everything.
In short; tragedy should not be the bar by which we come to the realization that immutable change must be a priority for all that lend themselves as officers of the court, servants of the criminal justice system and those like Maine’s First Responders, who are the ultimate bulwark to the successes and failures of this entire Maine criminal justice system.
MAP has always strived to be accessible as a resource or participant in productive as well as committed partnerships as a nonpartisan independent organization. As an organization committed to doing what’s right for our members and fellow first responders, there is no place for political parties, only those who support or wish to have a meaningful understanding of what Maine’s finest face on behalf of all citizens and not constituencies.
To that end, we invite and challenge our fellow organizations, legislative leadership, Governor Mills, the Maine Bar, Prosecutors and the Maine Judicial Court System to collectively and without passion or prejudice, come together to effect immediate and meaningful change. A basic and crucial tenet in police leadership is that we can no longer practice a “Top Down” approach in which decisions are made in a vacuum without input from those who will be affected by them. It can only be in a bottom-up structure that is based on the experience and input from the Boots on the Ground that affects ANY kind of realistic and mechanically sound policy.
However well-intentioned, we can no longer allow our members to be affected at the side of the road at two in the morning or when the frantic 911 call comes by the Top-Down approach of lawmakers, to courts, to attorneys and then to the end users that are first responders. Until this changes in any earnest way, we can no longer claim Maine as the place where it is truly “The Way Life Should Be”.
Paul Gaspar
Executive Director
Maine Association of Police
Victory!
On behalf of MAP's board of directors, I am proud to announce that LD 2094 - "Resolve, to Require the Establishment of a Stakeholder Group to Examine and Improve the Recruitment, Retention and Wellness of Law Enforcement Officers" has been signed and put into effect by Governor Mills! This will mean that this important work will proceed with the formation of a stakeholder group and its subsequent study and report to the Maine Legislature in 2025.
As MAP's executive director, I cannot express what this small victory represents, not only for MAP and its partner members in the Maine Law Enforcement Coalition, but the thousands of first responders and their families that will hopefully be impacted by the results of this important work. I can tell you that MAP, its partners, and supporters are eager to participate in this stakeholder group, and begin a path to a restoration of our ranks, but more importantly, a clear, consistent and immediately responsive process to helping first responders and their families experiencing crises in their professional and personal lives. We have fallen too far behind in this endeavor and are compelled by sheer need and determination to ensure the improvements to our profession and address the toll it takes on our brothers and sisters throughout Maine.
Please join the MAP Board of Directors and I in celebrating this important advancement and thanking the many people responsible for its conception and existence following this long and contentious legislative session!
To see/download a copy of the final resolve, go to:
https://legislature.maine.gov/.../ser.../getDocument.aspx...
As always: Stay safe, check in and watch out for each other! - PG
MAP would like to thank the following on this momentous occasion;
The Bill Sponsors;
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President Troy D. Jackson, D -
Aroostook -
Representative Janice S. Dodge
, D - Belfast -
Senator Pinny Beebe-Center, D
- Knox -
Senator Craig Hickman, D - Ken
nebec -
Senator Bradlee Thomas Farrin,
R - Somerset -
Senator Matthew A. Harrington,
R - York -
Senator Glenn Curry, D - Waldo
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Senator Margaret Rotundo, D -
Androscoggin
The Supporting Members of the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee - (with special thanks to Rep. Michael Lajoie and Sen. Matthew Harrington for their unwavering support);
Rep. Donald Ardell
Sen. Anne Beebe-Center
Sen. Matthew Harrington
Sen. David LaFountain
Rep. Michel Lajoie
Rep. Daniel Newman
Rep. Robert Nutting
Rep. Chad Perkins
Rep. Suzanne Salisbury
Our Consultants;
Walton External Affairs
Tim Walton/ Walton External Affairs
Jon Courteny
Peter Connell
Julie Smith
The Maine Law Enforcement Coalition Partners;
Maine State Law Enforcement Association
Maine State Troopers Association
Maine Lodge; Fraternal Order of Police
Please welcome our new Board of Directors Officers!
On behalf of the MAP Board of Directors, I would like to recognize and welcome several of our individual members who have been elected to the Board at our annual meeting which was held on March 20th, 2024. I’d also like to thank the many member unit representatives who were able to join us as it’s member participation that drives our organization!
We especially appreciate and are grateful to the following members who will be on your board of directors, filling much needed roles.
MAP Vice President – Jacob Webster, Portland PD
MAP Vice President – Craig Johnson, Lewiston PD
MAP Secretary Treasurer – Ernie MacVane, Windham PD
Please join us in welcoming and supporting Jacob, Craig and Ernie for their service to MAP and for helping us keep what makes MAP great on track for all our members throughout Maine.
The Board would also like to extend its appreciation and gratitude to outgoing Vice President Chris Todd from South Portland PD. Chris has served on the board for over 12 years and not only distinguished himself during his long tenure, but has also played a significant role in directing and guiding our organization during our successes and challenges. Thank you, Chris, and please know that this comes with all the sentiments of our members as well.
Over the next several weeks, we will be getting the new board members settled in and will then be sending their contact information so that local units will know who their assigned Vice President is as well as being able to share the information so that their unit members can update their MAP street reference guides. Thank you for your patience during this process and if there is an immediate need, please contact me, President Kevin Riordan, or Vice President’s Jonathan Barnes or Shane Stephenson, who are currently in the street reference guide.
As always, thank you for your membership and support as it drives us to continue to offer the best representation and concern for you and your families. Our founding members knew in 1975, that a “By Cops, For Cops”, Maine only group, was what’s best for Maine’s LEO’s and Dispatchers.
Stay safe, check in and watch out for each other,
Paul Gaspar
MAP Executive Director
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
DATE: May 1st, 2023 CONTACT: Paul Gaspar (207) 767-2558; admin@maineassociationofpolice.com
New poll shows broad public support of local law enforcement in Maine.
The Fall 2022 Critical Insights survey finds that 84% of Mainers have a positive view of law enforcement.
Attached is the summary of findings of the Critical Insights survey.
Augusta, MAINE – The Maine Law Enforcement Coalition (MLEC) is pleased to share the results of a new poll that finds a large majority of Mainers hold a positive view of law enforcement in the State of Maine.
The survey included 620 respondents from across the state over the phone and online. All survey respondents were registered voters who live in Maine. The results show that 84% of Mainers have an overall positive view of law enforcement.
Additionally, over three quarters (77%) of surveyed voters believe law enforcement contributes to the moderate to high levels of safety in Maine, and a total of ninety-two percent (92%) of voters in Maine believe the state’s shortage of law enforcement officers should be a priority for lawmakers.
This indicates overall broad public support of Maine’s law enforcement community and shows that Maine people know law enforcement is a major factor in keeping their communities safe.
“A supermajority of Mainers say they have full faith in their local law enforcement officers,” said Kevin Anderson of the Maine Law Enforcement Association (MSLEA), “This shows that we have earned the trust of the communities in which our members are active. Maine law enforcement professionals should be proud that the Maine people have their back.”
“When just under 100 percent of voters are saying the legislature should be focusing on the law enforcement shortage here in Maine and more than half are saying it should be a major priority, our elected officials should be listening, said Joel Wilkinson of the Maine Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP). “Lawmakers ought to be proposing ways in which we can recruit and encourage Mainers to enter a law enforcement profession.”
“We are proud that the people of Maine are able to separate their opinions about the national conversations surrounding policing from their own experiences with local, Maine law enforcement,” added Paul Gaspar of the Maine Association of Police (MAP). “It shows that they truly represent MAINE’S experience with the high caliber of men and women serving their communities, and NOT the national or political party narratives or representations used to engender dangerous and unnecessary policy.”
“This poll is a true representation of how Maine citizens view our Law Enforcement Officers,” said Joe Bureau, President of the Maine State Troopers Association. “Maine Troopers, alongside all Maine Law Enforcement Officers, rely on community support to be successful in our public safety mission. We need the same from our lawmakers as we receive from our citizens to collectively meet the challenges we are faced with daily. Staffing shortages and initiatives to address these needs have to continue to be a priority."
About the Maine Law Enforcement Coalition (MLEC): MLEC is made up of the four labor unions below representing a wide variety of Maine law enforcement professionals.
The Maine State Law Enforcement Association (MSLEA) acts as the bargaining agent for member agencies in the state of Maine Law Enforcement Bargaining Unit. MSLEA has a 16 member, all-volunteer, Board of Directors and Officers and approximately 400 officers from 12 state law enforcement groups including: Attorney General Detective; Adult Probation Officer; Capitol Police Officer; Department of Corrections Investigator; Game Warden; Fire Investigator; Forest Ranger; Juvenile Community Corrections Officer; Marine Patrol Officer; Motor Vehicle Detective; Military Security Police; and Judicial Marshals. The primary mission of MSLEA is to protect and preserve the collective bargaining rights, job related civil liberties and labor destiny of Association membership, to ensure fair and equitable treatment of the MSLEA membership in matters arising from administrative investigations and employment related disciplinary actions. Additional responsibilities are to draft and support legislation to benefit State law enforcement and member agencies, to anticipate trends and develop training opportunities to ensure that the State’s law enforcement agencies have the faith of the people they serve through ethical conduct commensurate with the Code of Ethics for modern law enforcement officers.
The Maine Association of Police (MAP) MAP was established in 1975 by a small group of local police associations. The mission of this group of individual associations was to self-govern and on the local and state level, advocate for the safety and working conditions of Maine full time municipal police officers and public safety dispatchers. MAP now represents 47 local associations in their respective municipalities spanning a membership of approximately 950 members in addition to a dedicated association of law enforcement retirees. MAP works cooperatively with our municipalities to represent our members in many facets of their profession, including collective bargaining, legal and legislative representation, and training in state, as well as federal labor law. It has, and will continue to be, our goal to work proactively and professionally in forwarding the cause of our members and the protection of the citizens and communities they serve.
The Maine State Troopers Association (MSTA) was established in 1971 and since then has been the sole registered bargaining agent for its members. Any sworn member of the Maine State Police below the rank of lieutenant can be a member. MSTA currently has 250 members comprised of Troopers, Corporals, Sergeants, Detectives, Polygraph Examiners, Pilots, and Specialists. The purpose for which this Association is formed is the following: 1) To represent and act as bargaining agent in matters of wages, hours and other working conditions and to engage in other concerted activities for the purpose of collective bargaining or other mutual aid or protection of and for the members of the Maine State Troopers Association; 2) To promote and develop a friendly and fraternal spirit among all of the members of the Bureau of State Police (hereinafter called the “State Police”); 3) To mitigate the hazards of our work; 4)To preserve and foster good will with the citizens of and all people in the State of Maine and to encourage cooperative understandings and agreements with all organizations, agencies and officers of the government concerned with the State Police in the State of Maine for the mutual benefit of its members and the improvement of the public service.
The Maine Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) proudly represents over 850 sworn municipal and county law enforcement officers from York County to Aroostook County. Our primary role is to provide professional labor services regarding negotiating collective bargaining agreements and providing legal support for its members. We are committed to improving the safety and working conditions of law enforcement officers and the profession through all legal and ethical means in an effort to further build upon the confidence of the public in the service dedicated to the protection of life and property. We are part of the National Fraternal Order of Police which represents more than 330,000 sworn law enforcement officers across the country in more than 2,200 lodges.
Awards Conferred at the 23rd Annual Maine Association of Police Awards Dinner
The Board of Directors of the Maine Association of Police is proud to announce the following individuals as those being conferred with awards at the 22nd Annual Maine Association of Police Awards Banquet on January 27th, 2024.
We would also like to extend our special thanks to the following for helping make the MAP Awards Banquet a success;
Chris Gower: Ben’s Uniforms
Annemarie Napolitano: Admiral Fire and Safety
Ron Doucette, Anchor Engraving
Maine Public Safety Pipes and Drums
Kim McDonough & Staff: The Portland Elks ClubJim Fahey
Our Members and Retirees
Please join us in celebrating the incredible service of these officers, civilians, and businesses as well as all of Maine's First Responders. Congratulations and Incredible Service on Behalf of the Citizens and State of Maine!
Business Recognition Award:
Wellness Center of MaineHealing Partners Psychiatric Services
James Durant Civilian Recognition Award:
Jodi McGary, LCSW
Laura Feaga, MSN, PMHNP-BC
Jason Miller, LCPC
Karen Smith, LCSW
David W. Pickering Chiefs Award:
Chief Sean Lally, Westbrook PDPresident’s Recognition Award:
Sgt. Ryan Close, Franklin County SO
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Officer Douglas Maifeld, Rumford PD
Heroism Award:
Officer Spencer Simoneau, Lewiston PD
Sergeant Donald Miller, Rumford, PD
Corporal Robert Angelo, Ellsworth PD
Officer James Hassard, Ellsworth PD
Sergeant David Bruni, Gorham PD
Sergeant Michael Coffin, Gorham PD
Chief Kenneth Fickett, Gorham Fire Department
Officer of the Year Awards:The Men and Women of the Lewiston Police Department
Communications Officer of the Year Award:
Dispatcher Aaron Stewart, Wells PD
Larry Gross Cop’s Cop Awards:
Detective Philip Robinson, Westbrook PD
Meritorious Service Awards:Detective Jon Stearns
The Men and Women of the Lewiston Auburn 911 Center
Officer Taylor Stroup, Gorham PD
Lifesaving Awards:
Corporal Brian Beauparlant, Lewiston PD
Corporal Cody Hogan, Old Orchard Beach PD
Wayne “Pooch” Drown School Resource Officer Awards:
Officer Caleb Gray, South Portland PD
Special Recognition/Donation from MAP Charities:
The Maine Military Museum & Learning Center, South Portland; $500.00Larry Gross Cops' Cop Award
2022 – Andrew Flynn, (Scarborough PD)
2021 – Les Smith (Portland PD)
2020 - Robert Susi (Falmouth PD, Ret.)
2017 - Jeff Hawkins (Portland PD)
2016 - John Desjardins (Westbrook PD)
2015 - Robert Morin (Lewiston PD)
2014 - Paul Fenton (Cape Elizabeth PD)
2013 - Steve Webster (South Portland PD)
2012 - Christopher St. Pierre (Old Orchard Beach PD)
2011 - Jeffrey Bearce (Waterville PD)
2010 - Richard Vogel (Portland PD)
2009 - Kevin Riordan (Old Orchard Beach PD)
2008 - Bangor Police Department
2007 - Larry Gross (Posthumously)
2006 - Sean Lally (Westbrook PD)
2005 - Dana Thompson (Gorham PD)
2004 - Kevin Haley (Portland PD)
2003 - Steve Lyons (Westbrook PD)
2002 - Jeff McCue/Jim Fahey (So. Portland PD)
2001 - Dan Young (Portland PD)
2000 - Don Goulet (Brunswick PD)
Officer of the Year Award
2022 – Les Smith (Portland PD)
2021 – Jim Fearon (Old Town PD, Ret.)
2020 - The Men and Women of the Farmington Police Department
2017 - Brad Gallant (Rumford PD)
2016 - William Bonney (Waterville Police Department)
2015 - Jason Joiner (Buxton Police Department)
2014 - Gino Bianchini (Freeport Police Department)
2013 - Tracey Higley (Rumford Police Department)
2012 - Jason Burke (Windham PD)
2011 - Ken Cronin (South Portland PD)
2010 - Terry Goan (Brunswick PD)
2009 - Larry Morrill (Bangor PD)
2008 - Randall Parsons (Bangor PD, Posthumously)
2007 - Tom Donahue (Houlton PD)
2006 - Robert Libby (South Portland PD)
2005 - Paul Gaspar (Cape Elizabeth PD)
2004 - Amy Gagne (Sanford PD)
2003 - Kevin Riordan (OOB PD)
2002 - New York PD/Port Authority PD
2001 - Mark Day (Lewiston PD, Posthumously)
2000 - Jim Sweatt (Portland PD)
Lifetime Achievement
2022 – Janine Roberts
2020 - Robert Libby (South Portland PD, Ret.)
2017 - Brad Paul (Saco PD, Ret.)
2016 - Steven Webster (South Portland Police Department)
2015 - Ronald Shepard (Gorham PD, Ret.)
2014 Harold Trask (Saco PD, Ret.)
2013 - Jim Fahey (South Portland PD)
2012 - Kevin Schofield (Brunswick PD, Ret.)
2011 Wayne Coffin (Gorham PD)
2010 - Deputy Chief (Ret.) Gordon L. Littlefield (Sanford PD)
2009 - James Rioux (Lewiston PD, Posthumously)
2008 - Linda Barker (South Portland PD)
2007 - Michael Sanphy (Westbrook PD)
2006 - Donald Goulet (Brunswick PD, ret.)
2005 - Bill Troubh (Troubh/Heisler, PA)
2004 - Ron Damon (South Portland PD)
2003 - John Reed (Gorham PD, Posthumously)
2002 - Billy Hogan (Portland PD)
2001 - Mike Walsh (Cape Elizabeth PD)
2000 - Gerard "Butch" Guimond (South Portland PD)
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William B. Troubh Leadership
2022 – Daniel Tourtelotte (Maine State Law Enforcement Assoc.)
2021 – Travis and Kelsey Mills (Travis Mills Foundation)
All Maine Heroes Remembered
During the 2022 National Police Week, National Peace Officers' Day and every day, we remember all those here and throughout the nation who have laid down their lives in service to their communities and families. Godspeed heroes.
"Always Remembered, Never Forgotten"
- The men and women of the Maine Association of Police
"Always Remembered, Never Forgotten"
SCSO Cpl. Eugene Cole MSP Det.Sgt. Ben Campbell HCSO Dep. Luke Gross
Officer Wellness and Mental Health
Don't wait until the crisis unfolds; see the everyday signs in the everyday things we do in this job and take action - for ourselves, each other, and our families!
Stay safe, check in, and watch out for each other.
Law enforcement is incredibly stressful and the current health culture is, in some cases, non-existent. Additionally, the tests offered to LEOs too often do not have the diagnostic capabilities to isolate high-risk individuals or provide a quality system of cardiac screening for low-risk individuals before they become critical.
Watch this webinar, sponsored by Sigma, where experts will discuss how critical screening and wellness is in policing.
ACCESS NOW
LAW ENFORCEMENT IN MAINE IN 2020
Maine Chiefs of Police - Maine Sheriffs - Maine Department of Public Safety
The Maine Chiefs of Police Association, along with the Maine Sheriffs Association and the Maine Department of Public Safety have put together a joint informational document outlining the many how Maine has and continues to outpace the national effort to address the challenges in addressing police, public, and race relations.You can read the report HERE
Maine Warmline for First Responders and Healthcare Workers
Free Peer to Peer Support App from the All Clear Foundation
Go To: https://responderrel8.com/We know First Responder wellbeing is important to you, so we want to be sure you are aware of ResponderRel8 – the peer-to-peer app for First Responders that enables them to connect, commiserate and celebrate anonymously (if they choose).
As you know, the complexities and stressors of response work are higher than ever due to the COVID-19 pandemic so, thanks to generous donations from All Clear Foundation’s supporters, we’re currently providing subscription-free access to ResponderRel8. First Responders can share information, stressors and experiences anonymously with their colleagues – without fear, stigma or politics getting in the way.
First Responders can access the app directly and chat with peers who have “been there, done that” – no association or organizational commitments required. It’s great for rural and volunteer responders who have very little access to resources as well as those in metro areas where it can complement in-person resources.
DOJ announces how benefits will be determined when officers die from Coronavirus
Written by Dianne Bernhard from our partners at Concerns Of Police Survivors.—Dear Members of Law Enforcement,
Stay home. Socially distance yourself. Work remotely.
All of these are necessary advice given to all of us by our government and health leaders in an attempt to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus. But you as a law enforcement officer likely can’t take that advice.
You have to go to work to answer the calls to keep us safe. You may or may not have adequate protective equipment, and you certainly don’t know who you may encounter or who may be a carrier of the virus.
But we all know if a citizen with the virus calls 911 with an emergency, you will respond. Our safety and national security depends on it.
At the time this article is being written, at least 41 police officers have died as a result of COVID-19. Unfortunately, there will likely be others. Right now the highest priority is to keep those death toll numbers as low as possible.
Please take steps to limit your exposure at work whenever possible. While reactive policing is not ideal, in times like this, it is unfortunately recommended.
As a retired officer myself, I know our communities will eventually pay the price of having reactive versus proactive policing, but the steps to keep yourself and your families safe should now take priority.
The question is being asked at the local, state, and national level whether officer deaths from COVID-19 will be considered in the line of duty for the purpose of line-of-duty death benefits.
The Department of Justice Public Safety Officers’ Benefit (PSOB) program put out a release today. Quoting straight from the Bureau of Justice release:
“To establish eligibility for benefits under the PSOB Act in connection with a public safety officer’s death or disability due to COVID-19, the PSOB Act and regulations require that the evidence show that it is more likely than not that the disease resulted from the public safety officer’s exposure to the disease or the virus that causes the disease, SARS-CoV-2, while performing a line of duty activity or action.
In general, BJA will find that the evidence shows a public safety officer with COVID-19 contracted it in the line of duty, when:
(1) the officer had engaged in line of duty action or activity under circumstances that indicate that it was medically possible that the officer was exposed to the virus, SARS-CoV-2, while so engaged; and
(2) the officer did contract the disease, COVID-19, within a time-frame where it was medically possible to contract the disease from that exposure.
In addition, in the absence of evidence showing a different cause of death, BJA generally will find that the evidence shows a public safety officer who died while suffering from COVID-19 died as the direct and proximate result of COVID-19.”
So, what can you do now if you come down with COVID-19?
First, please follow all the advice of medical professionals. This virus seems to be unpredictable as to whom it affects the most. While those who are older or have underlying health issues seem to be the most at risk for bad outcomes, there are also perfectly healthy police officers who are dying from this virus.
Don’t underestimate it. If you are experiencing anxiety, please reach out to C.O.P.S. and we can put you in touch with someone for peer support.
Second, document your exposure. If you know that while you were working you came into contact with someone who was known to have the virus, document the date, time, and names of those who were there.
If your agency has a method to document exposure, you should utilize that process. If your agency does not have a process, you should document the exposure yourself and make sure your supervisors have a copy of it.
If you do not know where you contracted the disease, document the hours you were at work and were in contact with the general public during the date range when the general public was asked to stay home and exercise social distancing. Most agencies have an ability to produce call logs that will show when you responded to calls for service. This may be helpful in establishing the evidence needed for your family to qualify for benefits, if it unfortunately becomes necessary.
Third, consider making a claim through workers’ compensation. The documentation you will use to document your exposure may prove valuable if a death benefit claim has to be made later. Your workers’ comp claim can be updated later if you ultimately succumb to the virus.
Last, if you have not updated your personal information for your family to use to make decisions in the event of your death, now is the time to do so.
You can click on this link to access a PDF form you can fill out and then print and put in a safe place. None of your personal information is saved through the form. C.O.P.S. always recommends this information and life insurance beneficiaries are kept up to date, even during times we are not experiencing a pandemic. The peace of mind this provides to your family in the event of your death is invaluable.
At C.O.P.S. we know you do not have the luxury of social distancing. You should also know that C.O.P.S. is here as YOUR organization, committed to every law enforcement family that experiences the loss of their officer in the line of duty, due to this terrible virus. Every service available through C.O.P.S. will be available to these new families.
These are uncertain times. I personally would like to take just a minute to say thank you for what you are doing. There are many heroes during this pandemic event, and you are one of them. While I am no longer considered an “essential” worker, you most certainly are. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
God bless and stay healthy!
Selected PSA MAP Has "Your SIX" We are proud to invite our members and supporters to the inaugural Maine Association of Police Podcast; "YOUR SIX"! This is the culmination of a long process of planning, technical assistance and hard work to bring a new level of communication and access to our members throughout the state.Your SIX will provide our members with topical and current issues affecting our law enforcement profession, including; legal, labor, family and all things related to our fraternal concern. We will be using both audio and video casts with a myriad of guests and topics.
We are very honored to have Randy Sutton, a national speaker, subject expert, and former Las Vegas Metro PD Lieutenant as our first guest. We will be talking about Randy's new national initiative - "The Wounded Blue" and MAP being one of the first to partner and support the effort!
YOUR SIX debuted at NOON TODAY on our Facebook page as well as our website, with the first episode open for public viewing . After this first viewing, this will become a member only accessible service for our loyal members. You can also now view our first episode using the link below.
Stay safe and we have Your SIX!for more information about Rany Sutton & The Wounded Blue, go to;Blog Topics From The Bridge Portland Press Herald Homeless people are being moved more quickly in Portland, but some have nowhere to go More than 125 miles of aging gas lines replaced in southern Maine Hunt for UnitedHealthcare CEO’s elusive killer yields new evidence, but few answers Santa arrives by lobster boat at Kennebunkport’s Christmas Prelude Abortion funds take on bigger role in Maine, nationwide as access shifts UnionActive Police Newswire Join the Newswire!
Updated: Dec. 09 (06:01)
IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED Pennsylvania State Lodge FOP PLANNING FOR SOCIAL SECURITY FAIRNESS ACT RALLY AT THE U.S. CAPITOL Pennsylvania State Lodge FOP No General Membership Meeting This Month Saint Louis Police Officers Association HR 82 ADDITIONAL ACTION REQUIRED Le-Hampton Lodge 35 FOP Social Security Fairness Act Saint Louis Police Officers Association PCDS Guild Congratulates and Welcomes Sheriff Keith Swank Pierce County Deputy Sheriff's Independent Guild