Tyler S. Plourde of Woolwich is among Maine’s fourteen newest state troopers to receive his badge in a recent ceremony at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro. He’s one of three newly graduated officers assigned to Troop B, responsible for a patrol area including Cumberland, Oxford and Androscoggin counties.

Becoming a state trooper is the third career for Plourde. After graduating from Mt. Ararat High School in 2005 he attended Colby College in Waterville where he earned his bachelor’s degree. Soon after graduating in 2009 he became an English teacher at Hyde School in Bath.

“I really enjoyed teaching and the Hyde School does some great things with students and families,” Plourde told the newspaper. With that said, he felt it was time to do something other than teaching. He tried a short stint as an insurance underwriter at Unum in Portland but couldn’t see himself happy in that profession.

“I’ve always been interested in a career in law enforcement and really liked what the Maine State Police stood for and had to offer,” he said.

Training to become a State Trooper is a long and vigorous progression. The hiring process itself is very demanding and can take over a year just to be offered a position at the training academy. As you might expect Plourde was pretty excited when he received news that he’d been accepted.

“I went to the 29th Basic Law Enforcement Training Program as a cadet for the State Police in August of 2015. That training is 18 weeks, and involves cadets from departments all over the state training together,” he said.

The Maine Criminal Justice Academy has been located since 2000 on the campus of the former Oak Grove Coburn School off Route 201.  Troopers in training stay at the academy during the week but are able to return home to be with their family on weekends. The training includes cadets spending time with experienced Troopers on patrol to see what their job will be like.

“In February, I went to the State Police Recruit Training Troop, also held at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy, where myself and 13 other Recruits participated in a 10-week training program for State Police recruits,” continued Plourde. “Now I am back on the road in Troop B working with an experienced Trooper in field training. The barracks for Troop B is located in Gray, but we don’t necessarily go there every day during patrol,” he said.

State Troopers generally have a specific area to cover during a shift, but occasionally move to other areas if they’re needed in an emergency. The number of miles they’re behind the wheel of their cruiser varies from day to day. Trooper Plourde said his cruiser serves as his office. In fact, he’s permitted to commute back and forth from his home to the barracks in it.

“A typical shift is either eight or ten hours depending on the day,” he continued. “We work a rotating schedule so the hours change a little bit from time to time,” he said.

For the present Plourde will continue living in Woolwich, although he plans to move his family closer to Troop B’s headquarters. Plourde and his wife Jaime have 5-month-old twins, Adeline and Theodore.

Plourde grew up in Topsham where his parents, Denise and Steve Plourde, still reside. “They have been a huge support to my wife and I as we have embarked in this process and we couldn’t have done it without them,” he said, adding, “We also couldn’t have done it without the help and support of my wife’s parents, Rick and Laurie Bisson who also live in Woolwich.”

Chief of the State Police, Colonel Robert Williams welcomed Plourde and the other graduates to the Maine State Trooper ranks on April 8. “Unlike other professions, there is no on and off duty.  You are always a Trooper,” he told them.