On Saturday, January 28, 2023, several members of the Cape Elizabeth Police Department received awards from the Maine Association of Police at their 22nd Annual Maine Association of Police Awards Banquet in Portland. 

Sergeant Rory Benjamin received a Lifesaving Award and Officer Aaron Webster (now with Westbrook PD) received a Heroism for their actions in saving the life of a teenager who fell through Great Pond in March 2022.

Sergeant Rory Benjamin also received another Lifesaving Award for his actions in locating and saving the life of a young person who was in the process of taking their life. There is no question that this event would have had a much different outcome had Sgt. Benjamin not gone the extra mile and checked on this vehicle. Sergeant Benjamin's instinct and training played a major part in saving the life of this young person. 

Student Resource Officer (SRO) David Galvan received the 2022 School Resource Officer of the Year Award for his outstanding efforts in all three Cape Elizabeth schools. SRO Galvan has been a conduit for change between the police department, schools, and community as a whole. “Officer Dave” as he is more affectionately known, brings his upbeat and quick-witted personality to school each and every day. Officer Dave has created an invaluable foundation of trust between the police department and Cape Elizabeth students. 

Chief Paul Fenton received the David W. Pickering Chiefs Award. This award is named after former Cape Elizabeth Police Chief David W. Pickering, who sadly passed away in 2000. Chief Fenton’s exceptional transformational leadership style has paved the way for the success of the police department. Despite a series of outside challenges, Chief Fenton has fostered a culture that not only embraces change but also aligns with community expectations. As a leader who cares about his team, Chief Fenton pioneered a program that focuses on the mental health of the officers at Cape Elizabeth Police Department. This program encourages officers to speak with a culturally-competent, mental health professional annually. As a testament to his leadership, 11 of the 12 officers (someone has to cover patrol) of the department attended the banquet to support the department.

For a complete list of officers recognized at the awards banquet, visit the Maine Association of Police website.

This article and photos are courtesy of the CEPD Facebook page.

Sergeant Rory Benjamin (left) and Officer Aaron Webster (center)

Student Resource Officer David Galvan (left)

Chief Paul Fenton (center)

Cape Elizabeth Police