So, when are you going to retire? 

That’s a question that seems to crop up with increasing frequency as the years pass, but for Boothbay Harbor police officer Larry Brown, 71, there’s a simple answer: “If you had your dream job, why would you ever retire?” 

Brown is a community staple. Whether it's squaring off against a YMCA Dolphin swimmer at the community pool (twice!), helping a high school senior research a piece of local history, or just patrolling the halls of Boothbay Region Elementary and High schools as the local School Resource Officer (SRO).  

The Boothbay school system wasn’t Brown's first time as an SRO. After graduating with a bachelor's in law enforcement from Byrant College in his native Rhode Island, Brown moved to Maine to join Lewiston Police Department (LPD). There, he spent almost seven and a half years working as a Juvenile Detective/SRO at Lewiston Junior High School, which served over 800 seventh and eighth graders. As a juvenile detective, Brown primarily investigated complaints of physical and sexual child abuse. 

Many areas use Child Advocacy Centers to create a child-friendly environment, to ease the interview process and allow law enforcement to listen in from another room while minimizing potential trauma from continually resharing the abuse. But Brown explained this wasn't  standard practice back when he was a detective. Instead, Brown was often one of the first to interview victims. His voice grew thick as he recalled how some of the children would come up to hug him on the playground afterwards. “I get a little teary just thinking about it.” 

Eventually, Brown decided it was time to retire. He always wanted to live by the coast, anyway. Plus, he had a new interest. Brown moved to the region in the late 90s with wife Marti Booth, refurbishing a large, late 19th century home in East Boothbay to start a Bed & Breakfast. “I love cooking and baking. I was a kid that would pull a chair up when mom was in the kitchen. I also just kind of loved people, even though I hadn't always seen them in the most positive of ways,” he explained. The pair ran the inn for 11 years. 

During this time, former BHPD Chief Bob Hasch was encouraging Brown to join the local police force. He finally agreed. In 2009, Brown became the region’s first SRO, and has stayed on since. He described the experience as the “most satisfying” chapter of his career in law enforcement.  

“The support that our kids get from their teachers is something I’ve never seen before and probably will never see again,” he said. 

In addition to patrolling the schools, Brown’s job as SRO includes heading programs such as bus safety training, or “Cop on the Spot,” which allows students to get the answers to all their burning law enforcement-related questions. This goes back to Brown’s personal 30-70 rule: Talk for 30%, listen for 70%. “You learn more by listening,” he explained.  

Brown tries to treat each complaint he receives from a student as if it’s his first time hearing it, so he can tailor his assistance to that person’s needs. It's a level of specialized care he was never able to provide during his time in Lewiston, despite his best efforts, due to its fast-paced schedule. The small-town atmosphere also allows Brown to act as a liaison between the school and the greater community. “There are more people up at 236 and 238 Townsend Avenue each day than there is anywhere else in the entire area, so it's a good thing for the police department to know what's going on.” 

And calling Brown a part of the greater community may be an understatement with the recognition awards he has under his belt, including the YMCA 2007 Program Service Award, YMCA 2016 Character Development Award, and Boothbay Harbor Region Chamber of Commerce 2019 Citizen of the Year Award. Opportunities to be civically engaged are part of the reason Brown enjoys being a part of BHPD, because he’s able to connect people to the services they need when his purview as a police officer falls short. 

“It didn't take me long after my wife and I moved here to realize why this is such a special community, and that's because people live here because they want to. They don't have to,” he explained. “And when people live in an area that they want to, they're more apt to try to make it as better or good as it can be.” 

But, for Brown, the most rewarding part is interacting with students during their tenure in school and beyond, whether the past student is as an occupational therapist helping him during his recent knee treatment, or a reporter during an interview. Still, there can be difficulties. It can be a “trying” experience to witness students who continue to struggle even with additional support. Brown also noted the heightened levels of “stress and tension” he’s seen in the newest generation of children, which he contributes partly to social media allowing what use to be schoolyard fights to escalate and linger.  

There is also the issue of school shootings, which has garnered increased local public attention after Maine suffered its first mass shooting in Lewiston last year. Brown, who used to work with the current chief of LPD, David St. Pierre, during his time on the force, was the one to come up with the idea for local businesses to send a care package to LPD. With this tragedy fresh in mind, Brown recounted having to navigate multiple school evacuations after a series of bomb threats early in his career as SRO in Boothbay. 

After receiving feedback from students, he found they had increased anxiety when left in the dark about protocols. While a situation may be scary, age-appropriate clarity can help to mitigate some of that fear. This same philosophy applies to school shooter instruction.  

“This is why I really try to listen to what kids have to say and answer their questions because adults go in sometimes and figure, 'We can fix this. We can fix that,' but let's find out what's really bothering kids,” he said. Brown and BHPD Chief Doug Snyder also plan to do a presentation about active shooters at the schools after the holidays. 

When Brown finally decides to hang up his badge, he hopes to be remembered fondly by his former students as a positive presence during their school days, perhaps even garnering a hug when he’s “real old” and waiting in line at the local Walgreens for his prescriptions: a fantasy that Brown is fine holding off on. 

“I didn't take my first breath here, but someday I'd like to take my last one,” he said, laughing. "A few years down the road.”