Dailey accepts many challenges at Paris PD

PARIS —  Interim Police Chief Michael Dailey faces plenty of challenges in his new position, but he's evidently ready and excited to shoulder the responsibility.

So much so, in fact, that he intends to apply for the position full-time when the town advertises it.

A 14-year veteran of the force, Dailey says he fully intended to leave Paris and join the County Sheriff's Office when he penned a resignation letter last month.

When he received word that former Chief David Verrier announced his own resignation a few days later, Dailey says he was faced with a huge decision.

He had committed to joining the sheriff's office – his new uniform had already been ordered, in fact – but he didn't want to leave Paris PD rudderless and saw a huge career opportunity in the role of chief.

He worried backing away from his commitment to the SO might harm his relationship with it. In the end, he would never have decided to stay on at Paris if he hadn't received support from his former prospective employer.

"If it was a job I didn't think I'd be successful at, I wouldn't have taken it," Dailey says of his new position.

He acknowledges Paris PD has faced controversy in the past year and hopes new leadership in the selectboard, town office and police can help move the town forward.

"Paris has been under the microscope for quite a while now," Dailey says.

"They've had a changeover in the boards, they've had a changeover in managers, and I think at some point the people just have to let the jobs get done."

Controversies

The interim chief himself became the subject of criticism for a pay increase he received when he accepted the position late last month.

During a December 11 selectboard meeting, several residents questioned the $5.55 per-hour raise and his qualifications.

It's fair compensation for the time he's willing to devote to the department, Dailey says –  his $28.85 per-hour rate is salaried and based on a 40-hour week, but Dailey says he plans on sticking to his current weekly schedule of between 50 and 60 hours.

Putting in the long hours, however, doesn't seem to faze the self-admitted workaholic.

"[Paris] isn't going to get short-changed," he says. "I'm not the type to go home at noon just because I've put in some hours."

Confusion surrounding a potential audit by the Maine Chiefs of Police Association is unfortunate, Dailey says. 

He supports the evaluation and says the word "audit" sends up red flags for people –  the MCPA evaluation is a "peer-review" that can really help the department learn and improve, he insists.

Allegations of illegal activity in the department are completely untrue, according to Dailey.

If there was something illegal going on, he wouldn't have even considered staying on in the department and risking his reputation, he says.

Challenges

The new job comes with a steep learning curve, particularly with respect to learning how to design the department budget.

"I think that's going to be my biggest challenge, the financial part of it," Dailey says. "Trying to sell the need for ... a little bit more."

Dailey says that some problems with budgeting in the past may have stemmed from a lack of communication –  the department needs to articulate its needs, rather than simply generate budget requests.

The department is going to need all the articulation it can get – it needs to put three officers through the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and pay for replacements while they're away.

Dailey also wants to increase specialized training opportunities –  half the department's training budget goes to pay for ammunition used during firearms qualifications.

Changes

The interim chief already has some ideas on changes he'd like to implement at Paris PD.

He plans to institute monthly staff meetings and seek more input from officers, particularly what budget items are important to them. 

Dailey is also eyeing a change to the department uniform. He likes a more traditional style and is looking forward to replacing the baseball caps previously adopted by the department.

He's also planning on getting rid of the department's golf cart.

"I don't need it," Dailey says.

In general, Dailey wants to move the department forward. In his  years on the force he's forged good relationships with agencies across the region, from the Paris Fire Department to the state police.

He's confident he can work well with Amy Bernard, the new Paris Town Manager, and says they both have an "open door" policy –  he encourages citizens to speak to him about issues they may have.

Paris and the Paris Police Department needs support from the community to move forward, not a rehash of past controversy, Dailey says –  he knows people have been concerned about the department, but dredging up history won't help the department progress.

"It does make it more difficult to move forward when there is so much focus on the past," he says.

Photo: Peter L. McGuire

TAKING THE REINS — Interim Paris Police Chief Michael Dailey.