New poll shows broad public support of local law enforcement in Maine.

The Spring 2021 Critical Insights survey finds that 82% of Mainers have a positive view of law enforcement.

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 789 respondents from across the state over the phone and online. All survey respondents were registered voters who live in Maine. The results show that 82% of Mainers have an overall positive view of law enforcement.

Additionally, more than eight out of ten surveyed voters believe law enforcement contributes to the high level of safety in Maine, and nine out of ten 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 Dan Tourtelotte 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 nine out of ten 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).

“At a time when it is all too easy to get caught up in the negative narrative, it should be encouraging to law makers and citizens alike to see how Maine citizens view their law enforcement professionals. All coalition members agree that there is always room for improvement and thoughtful dialogue. Perhaps this philosophy accounts in part for the strong support of Maine’s citizens,” said Craig Poulin of the Maine State Troopers Association (MSTA)

Attached is the summary of findings of the Critical Insights survey.

About the Maine Law Enforcement Coalition (MLEC): MLEC is made up of the below six labor unions 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 340 officers from 11 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. 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) 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 goodwill 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.

The Maine Service Employees Association, Local 1989 of the Service Employees International Union, is a member-run union representing over 12,000 Maine workers. We represent Maine workers at the Maine Community College System, the Maine Military Authority, Maine Maritime Academy, Maine Turnpike Authority, Maine Public Employees Retirement System, York County Government, the City of Lewiston, Lewiston Schools, the City of Auburn, Preble Street, Child Development Services, the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf/Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, the Maine People’s Alliance, the American Red Cross in Bangor, Home Care for Maine, Green Valley Association in Patten, Treats Falls House in Orono, and workers in all three branches of Maine State Government. American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) was founded during the Great Depression on a simple idea – that a professional civil service is essential to a strong democracy. The business of the people should be carried out by individuals dedicated to serving their communities, not those who have close connections to politicians. This idea has sustained AFSCME through nearly nine decades, as it has grown from a fledgling organization of a few thousand people to one of the most potent forces in the labor movement. The International Union, based in Washington, D.C., coordinates the union’s actions on major national issues such as privatization, fair taxes and health care. The International also provides resources to councils and local unions for organizing, bargaining, political action and education, and administers members-only benefits. Every two years, delegates to AFSCME’s International Convention decide on the union’s basic policies. Every four years they elect the International Union’s President, Secretary-Treasurer and 35 regional vice presidents. AFSCME has approximately 3,400 local unions and 58 councils and affiliates in 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Every local writes its own constitution, designs its own structure, elects its own officers and sets its own dues.

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