Amid a growing recruitment crisis among Maine’s law enforcement agencies, which have been struggling to continue normal operations with reduced numbers, Mexico, Maine, has been forced to shut down its police department indefinitely.

“Due to unforeseen personnel issues, with heavy hearts, the Board of Selectmen voted to place the Mexico Police Department on idle status until further notice effective August 20, 2024 at 6:00am. After that time, there will be NO Mexico Police coverage,” said the Town of Mexico on Facebook, “Our sincere wish is to have a full, functioning police department again and your town officials are not giving up on this matter.”

After August 20, Mexico will no longer have its own police coverage, and emergency calls will be handled by the Oxford County Regional Communications Center.

Anyone placing an emergency call in Mexico will now need to wait for a police response from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Department, which will likely lead to longer response times and increased strain on county law enforcement.

The Oxford Board of Selectmen clarified in an update to its post that the decision was not financial and that they plan to re-establish the police department if possible, but currently, there are not enough officers to operate the department.

Mexico Police Chief Roy Hodsdon, who has worked for the town’s police department for 27 years, also issued a statement on the unfortunate closure.

“Since 2020 there has been a very high shortage of police officers, reaching epidemic levels not seens in decades, leaving police departments nationwide understaffed. Our profession has seen a mass exodus of officers leaving law enforcement via retirement or just walking away,” said Chief Hodsdon, “Over the last year, I have been trying to recruit officers with no success.”

Officially, the department has been placed on “idle” rather than completely removed, which will allow it to become active again if or when the town is able to find more officers to staff the force.

The Maine Wire reached out to Chief Hodsdon, who was willing to provide more details about the situation.

According to Hodsdon, he and one other officer were the only law enforcement personnel working for the department at the time of the announcement.

Other officers had previously resigned, seeking work at other departments that would not require them to work longer hours due to understaffing.

Hodsdon does not have any idea of when, if at all, the town will be able to find enough officers to reopen the department.

Hodsdon and the other officer employed will not continue to be paid while the department is idle and will be forced to search for other work.

“I put 27 years and do not have a job now, so it’s pretty tough,” said Hodsdon, speaking to The Maine Wire.