OXFORD COUNTY, Maine — Jeffrey Campbell was fortunate Norway's police department and town office is in the same building.
He's the interim town manager, which carries even more responsibilities below it like road commissioner, in addition to being police chief.
"It's presented some different challenges, but it's a lot of similar administrative functions as a police chief," Campbell shrugged, sitting down with us after walking down the hall from the town office to the police department.
It has been a busy week in his community.
On Monday, police said, Chief Mike Dailey, of the nearby Paris Police Department, had brought Gary Porter, 37, to the Oxford County jail after officers reported they arrested him on a felony theft warrant.
"While attempting to remove Porter from the vehicle at the jail, Porter was able to slip his cuffs from the back to the front and move to the driver’s seat and steal the Paris Police cruiser ... Dailey was thrown from the moving vehicle while attempting to stop Porter," Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss wrote in a statement Monday evening.
According to the statement, police pursued the cruiser and Porter crashed on Route 117 in Paris, before getting out of the cruiser, entering another, and attempting to drive away. Moss wrote that officers exchanged gunfire with Porter.
A passerby, Linda Mercer, sent NEWS CENTER Maine a video purporting to show the incident from before Porter left the first cruiser to when he began to drive away, with puffs of dust popping off of the vehicle as bullets appeared to hit it.
A yet unknown number of bullets struck Porter, who was detained again, brought to a nearby hospital, and then back to jail.
As is standard after use-of-deadly-force incidents, the office of Attorney General Aaron Frey said on Tuesday they were opening an investigation into the matter, naming 11 officers from five agencies: Maine State Police, Oxford County Sheriffs Office, Oxford Police Department, Norway Police Department, and Paris Police Department.
Interim Paris Police Chief Nick Gilbert confirmed Dailey had also been placed on administrative leave, though he was not listed in that use-of-force investigation. The AG’s office confirmed Wednesday evening Dailey did not use deadly force during the incident. Individual departments decide when to place personnel on administrative leave.
Norway will be without two officers for an unknown amount of time, while things play out.
"I think that the general public won't really see a change in their service, as far as police coverage," Campbell said. "A lot of agencies are plugging in the holes that they have within their schedule, but are trying to make that as seamless as possible."
He's confident they're covered. Patrolmen might have to work an investigation, he said. Maybe a shift change will come for someone. But, he said, they've offered help to other departments, like Paris
With Paris Sergeant Allen Coffin, named in the investigation also on leave, Gilbert, a patrolman, was filling Dailey's shoes.
"A day and a half," he allowed a smirk when asked how long he had officially been in the position.
He was down two of the department's highest-ranking officers. But he echoed many of the same sentiments as Campbell saying there would likely be some schedule juggling; maybe an extra shift here or there.
He also reminded Mainers that while it comes down to interdepartmental relationships, all officers are certified by the state, meaning if you're breaking the law in Norway and a Paris cop rolls by, they have full authority to intervene.
As for his officers, Gilbert said he's checked on those involved in the shooting. He said mental health has come a long way in policing.
He added that he hopes the sidearm he carries daily never has to leave its holster.
"It's something I've never had to do, and I hope to get through my career and never have to do it," he contemplated. "Unfortunately, it's one of those things that may be part of the job someday, but I hope to never have to do it."
Porter appeared in court on Wednesday, but the judge said he was not in the right mental state to proceed at the time. The court planned to meet again on Friday.