PORTLAND (NEWS CENTER Maine) — Portland Police Chief Michael Sauschuck will unexpectedly step down from his position that he has held for the last six years.
Chief Sauschuck's retirement is effective July 20, when he will then move over to a new position as the assistant city manager. His new job will start on August 6.
"I'll be completely honest with you. It was a brutal decision making process for me. Not because of what waits over there, but because of the family and the home that I have here," said Chief Sauschuck. "I have no concerns about the future of this agency, and it's because we have good people. Period. When you have that as a benchmark, you're going to succeed."
Assistant Chief Vern Malloch will become the interim chief.
Sauschuck will join Mona Bector who was recently hired as the other Assistant City Manager. Both Sauschuck and Bector are both salaried at $140,000. Together, the two will work with the City Manager, John Jennings, on operational oversight of city government as well as carrying out the priorities of the City Council.
Jennings salary in 2017 was $169,000.
Combined, the three position make roughly $449,000 for a city with a population of 66,882 in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
The city council approved the position as part of the new budget in May. Sauschuck said he has not been told what specific tasks or duties he may be responsible for.
"Jon made that argument during the budget process about why he needed in another position and then they voted on it, so they support that," said Sauschuck. "As a manager and a leader here in this city, I think that skill set is transferrable to any city department."
Austin, Texas has a population roughly 14 times the size of Portland, Maine (950,715 in 2017) and pays its sole city manager $283,000. Portsmouth, New Hampshire, which has about one-third of the year-round population of Portland (21,796 in 2017), pays its city manager, deputy city manager, and assistant city manager a combined salary of more than $450,000.
Bangor pays its city manager and deputy city manager a combined $237,000 for a city with about 31,903 people in 2017.
Maine's Governor makes $70,000 a year.
Sauschuck joined the Marines after graduating high school and served for five years. He later joined the Old Orchard Beach Police Department as a reserve officer, and after four years, began working for the Portland Police.
He was also previously a special agent and supervisor assigned to the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, investigating and suppressing illegal narcotic activity in Cumberland County.
He will earn $140,000 annually in the new position.
“I’ve been blessed to be a member of the Portland Police Department family for more than 20 years and while it’s been an incredibly difficult decision to move on I am excited to work alongside Jon and Mona as we meet and conquer new challenges on behalf of our residents," Chief Sauschuck wrote in a press release.
“The City of Portland has been extremely fortunate to have had Mike Sauschuck serving our community for more than 20 years, including the last six as Chief of Police, and I’m delighted to have him on board in this new leadership role as we work together to strengthen our city,” said city manager Jon Jennings in a press release. “Mike’s outstanding leadership and management skills will help us continue making municipal government more streamlined and efficient, setting us up for future successes.”
Chief Sauschuck was born in Port Jervis, New York, but moved to Madrid, Maine in the third grade, and has been in Maine ever since. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in Criminology from the University of Maine in 1998 and is a graduate of the FBI’s 251st National Academy for Law Enforcement Leaders class. He is married to Portland Police Detective Mary Sauschuck.