Golden Joins Local, County Law Enforcement Officers in Lisbon

LISBON — Congressman Jared Golden (ME-02) met with local and state law enforcement officials in Lisbon yesterday to hear from the officers about the challenges they face as they protect communities in Maine and discuss what Congress can do to help. Joining the congressman were Lisbon Police Chief Ryan McGee, Androscoggin County Sheriff Eric Samson, Sabattus Police Chief Erik Baker, and other officers. Following the discussion, the congressman rode along with Chief McGee on a patrol of the area. 

“Members of Congress have a responsibility to hear directly from the men and women charged with keeping the communities they represent safe,” said Golden. “I appreciated the opportunity to sit down with these local police chiefs, sheriffs, and officers to talk about how Congress can best support the important work they do. We identified some important areas to collaborate on, including bringing federal funding in to help purchase equipment like body cameras, for recruiting and retention, and fighting the devastating impact of fentanyl and other drugs in rural Maine and I look forward to working with these officers to deliver for their agencies and law enforcement throughout our state. ”

Golden has been a consistent champion for law enforcement officials in Maine and across the country, particularly in rural areas. In March, Golden voted to substantially increase funding for local law enforcement and border patrol officers as part of the omnibus government funding bill. He was one of just two Democrats to vote against a sweeping police reform measure last year, in part because of its impact on qualified immunity protections for police officers. This past January, Golden introduced the bipartisan COPS on the Beat Grant Program Reauthorization and Parity Act of 2021. The legislation would nearly triple available funding for the COPS program to over $1 billion in FY2022, reauthorize the program for ten years, and specifically expand access to the grants for rural communities. In 2021, Golden voted to pass the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act, which included significant funding for border stations across the country, including five land ports of entry in Maine’s Second District. 

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