Sims back at Paris PD

Photo: A.M. Sheehan

Officer Harry Sims

PARIS — You don't want to mess with Harry Sims.

A Second Degree Black Belt with 18 years of study in the Japanese martial arts form Kyokushin – a full contact style karate where it's not over 'till you're down – Sims is tall, solid and, in uniform, can appear intimidating.

Sims, however, prefers to use his Kyokushin training to defuse situations before they become physical. If that fails, he can deflect an assault and subdue an assailant quickly and efficiently.

Sims returned August 1 to the Paris Police Department where he has worked, off and on, since 1993. In the interim he has served Oxford and Norway as well as doing a stint for the Sheriff's Office at the Oxford County Jail.

A resident of South Paris, Sims says he is back to policing because it is "what I really want to do."

He attended Reserve School in 1993 and serves as an instructor for the police academy. He will attend the academy in January, as a student, for the 18-week training course.

He has completed the FBI Crisis and Hostage Negotiation course and Intoxilyzer® [breathalyzer] training.

He has training in helping victims of child and sexual abuse as well as training in helping developmentally disabled victims of sexual abuse, which includes interviewing techniques for interviewing perpetrators of abuse against children who are, according to Sims, the most difficult to successfully interview.

He also holds a Field Training Certification which means he can train new recruits.

A graduate of Southern Maine Technical College with an associates' degree in Law Enforcement Technology, Sims holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Applied  Science with a double minor in Justice Studies and Behavioral Science from the University of Maine at Augusta.

In his spare time, Sims collects military memorabilia. He is married with two children and a step-daughter.

"I get a lot of satisfaction from knowing I helped someone," he says.

One of Sims' pet peeves, though, is drunk drivers.

"I hear 'there's other criminals out there worse than me' from OUIs," he says, "and I have no patience for it."

Sims likes working in small towns, he says, but down the line "at some point I wouldn't mind being a chief or detective somewhere."

In the meantime, Paris will use his skills well.

Paris Police Chief David Verrier said Sims excels in all areas and has served Paris and other departments well in the past.

"In my career as a law enforcement officer," said Verrier, "Harry is one of the finest officers I have ever had the privilege to work with."