By Michelle Libby
Life-long Windham resident Steven Stubbs, 23, has officially hit the streets as Windham Police Department’s newest patrol officer. Stubbs, a 2004 graduate of Windham High School, said he has always wanted to be a police officer and he could think of nowhere better to work.
“Windham was my number one choice,” he said. “I’m gung-ho about getting into police work. It’s the direction I was headed and where I wanted to go.”
Stubbs received an Associate’s Degree in criminal justice from Southern Maine Community College and is currently taking classes to get his Bachelor’s in criminal justice from St. Joseph’s College. Stubbs also worked at Old Orchard Beach Police Department for three summers as a reserve officer.
At the end of May, Stubbs graduated from the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, receiving his badge from his father, Steve Stubbs – who works as a Cumberland County Corrections Officer – during the graduation ceremony for the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program.
“(The academy) was a good experience. I learned a lot there,” Stubbs said. He said that there was so much information that it was tough to process it all, but now it comes back to him as he needs the
|
|
information. “It was challenging at times,” he said.
His favorite part was Emergency Vehicle Operations Course (EVOC) week, when the cadets learn to drive in different situations. “We drove cars right to their limits. Chances are I’ll never experience that again,” he said.
His plans with Windham PD are to eventually work as a K-9 officer and have a dog. “I like being around dogs. They’re a valuable tool in police work. What they’re able to do amazes me,” he said.
As a police force, Stubbs thinks Windham is pretty fortunate. “We have pretty good equipment here,” he said, listing off everything from cameras and laptops in the cars to Tazers and night vision. He has been on the job for a little over a month and said he has the confidence to take on any situation. He’s seen a lot of alcohol calls, a few domestic situations and a few drug incidences. The most common crime in Windham seems to be thefts and car burglaries, he said.
Stubbs said he doesn’t look forward to having to go to an “active shooter” call. “I’d do what I’d have to do, but it’s not something I’d wish for,” he said. “Domestics make me nervous. Everything can get heated and out of control, but I still go take care of the issue at hand,” he stated.
Being from Windham and working as
|
|
 |
ON THE BEAT Steven Stubbs, a 2004 WHS graduate, is now a member of the Windham Police Department. |
a police officer here can also have its sticky situations, but Stubbs hasn’t found it to be a problem. “It’s a good community, lots of good people. I’d raise a family here.” A benefit to working where he knows a lot of people, he said, is that “I have a good rapport with these people. It’s easier to interact with them. Most have been understanding that it was my job,” he said.
Stubbs has taken a lot of ribbing from his co-workers. It’s part of being a rookie, he said. Although hey tease him about needing a teddy bear in his car, he said he feels like he can talk |
|
to any of the other officers if he has any questions.
The most valuable information he feels he received at the five-month academy was “probably to be who you are. Don’t try to be someone else. Your honesty and integrity are most important…that’s what the job’s based on. Don’t be swayed.”
In his spare time Stubbs also enjoys skiing, scuba diving and watching most types of movies. His favorite is Top Gun.
|
|
|
