Chris Simeoni takes the helm at Kennebunkport PD
KENNEBUNKPORT, Maine – Six years after retiring from the police force, Chris Simeoni officially returned to full-time duty on Monday, July 1, this time as chief of the Kennebunkport Police Department.
This is not his first time leading a city agency. He is leaving another agency in the city to take on this new leadership role. For the past three years, Simeoni has served as director of the Kennebunkport Public Works Department.
Simeoni said he enjoyed his time in the public works department and will help his successor with the transition. However, when he talks about his new post, it is clear that this new job is a homecoming for him.
“My passion has always been law enforcement,” he said.
Simeoni succeeds former chief Craig Sanford, who resigned in May after 13 years at the helm of the department. Sanford now serves as a state law marshal and is based at the York Judicial Center in Biddeford.
Simeoni said he considered running for chief after learning Sanford was leaving. He said he misses the teamwork and camaraderie one feels when working with other police officers.
“They are special individuals,” he said. “I think you have to be a unique person to do this job.”
Simeoni retired from the police force in 2018, a decision he described as difficult but the right one for his young family at the time. He joined the city’s building department because he thought he would fit in well since he has worked in construction and is an “avid” do-it-yourselfer at home. Simeoni said he also joined the building department because it was a way for him to get involved in Kennebunkport. He became director of the building department in 2021.
While serving in public service, Simeoni maintained his police officer certification and actively served as a reserve officer for the Kennebunkport Police Department.
“I came to discuss the details of what they needed help with, like staffing for the Fourth of July, Prelude and Memorial Day,” he said. “I worked a lot of those events. I also did a few shifts on the road here and there.”
Previous story: Kennebunkport Police Chief Craig Sanford resigns after 13 years as city’s top cop
Simeoni was born in Dover, New Hampshire and raised in North Berwick. He graduated from Noble High School in 1992. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology and an Associate Degree in Business Administration from the University of Southern Maine. He is also certified by the Maine Criminal Justice Academy as an active and full-time law enforcement officer.
Simeoni ready to take over leadership of Kennebunkport Police Department
Simeoni started with the Kennebunkport Police Department as a reserve officer in 1997. He officially became a police officer in 1998. Since then, he has served as a senior patrol sergeant, a position in which he learned supervisory and management skills as well as an understanding of laws at the local, state and federal levels, according to City Manager Laurie Smith.
“His extensive experience in law enforcement, coupled with his strong public service leadership, make him a unique leader for our police department,” Smith said.
Simeoni said he was drawn to police because it gave him the opportunity to help people and be part of a community.
“There are so many facets to this,” he said. “It’s not just about law enforcement. There are all these other interactions we have with the community that can make a difference in making people feel connected.”
Simeoni said people in Kennebunkport value feeling protected and knowing their police officers personally. He said it’s rewarding when he helps people, especially with calls related to mental health issues, and they later reach out to him to thank him for helping them in their time of need.
“I think when people feel they’ve been treated fairly, they’ll recognize that and come back and tell you that,” he said. “I appreciate that.”
When the city announced he would be the next police chief, Simeoni said he even heard from people he had “dealt with in the past.”
“They just wanted to congratulate,” he said.
Simeoni said under his leadership, residents can expect the same level of service they know and expect from the Kennebunkport Police Department.
“In the future, we will probably be more involved in community events,” he said. “There will certainly be a police department with an open door policy. People can come in and talk to someone about their concerns. We will provide the same service as before.”
Police work is not a “black and white” job, Simeoni said. Many decisions rest with officers, who are entrusted by the public to use their discretion in such matters, he added. There are laws that limit some of that discretion and mandate certain actions, he said.
“But for the most part, officials have a pretty wide discretion in how they carry out their duties,” Simeoni said. “It’s definitely not black and white. You can get different results or solutions through different paths.”
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