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Two longtime employees leaving Farmington police

6 mins read
Detective Marc Bowering

FARMINGTON – The Farmington Police Department lost 34 years of combined experience last week, with Detective Marc Bowering and Office Manager Bonnie Pomeroy both leaving the department.

Bowering is retiring after 20 years with FPD, 18 of them as a detective. Pomeroy is not retiring, but is departing her position after 14 years, taking a new job with Franklin Savings Bank. Police Chief Jack Peck described the departure of Bowering and Pomeroy, both Wilton residents, as a “heartfelt loss.”

“It’s going to be extremely difficult to replace either one of them,” Peck said.

Bowering graduated from Mt. Blue High School, a classmate of Peck’s, then served with the Army as a combat engineer for four years. From there, he worked as a patrol officer with Wilton Police Department before coming to the FPD 20 years ago. He spent a single year as a patrol officer, then with the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency, before settling into the detective’s position.

Bowering said that he and his siblings were raised to be service-oriented by his parents: his father was a deputy sheriff and warden while his mother worked in healthcare fields. The job of detective provided an important service to the community, Bowering said, while offering a challenge as well.

“It’s a job that I love,” Bowering said. “Detective fit my personality to a T.”

Bowering had worked every sort of case while at FPD, Peck said, consistently doing great work without ever slowing down.

FPD Office Manager Bonnie Pomeroy

Many aspects of police work had changed over the years, Bowering said, ranging from cruisers and duty weapons to exchanging carbon copied reports for computer files. Law enforcement officer medical training had gone from CPR to also learning how to operate AEDs and administer Narcan. Officer training, annual certifications and testing procedures were far more involved, Bowering said, with a greater emphasis on mental health issues.

Some things hadn’t changed. Bowering said that he worked with many professional co-workers over the years. Humor was important, allowing officers to approach high stress situations. While Bowering says he remembers the big cases, helping bring families closure through an investigation, he also remembers light-hearted moments, like working the detail at the Farmington Fair. Bowering taught a Central Maine Community College course on Criminal Justice for six years at Mt. Blue High School.

Retired from the FPD as of Friday, Bowering is considering a couple of different law enforcement opportunities. He’s looking for what will be best for his family: wife Beckie Bowering, a teenage daughter, three adult children and, as of a few months ago, a grandchild.

“I’m looking forward to giving back what I’ve taken from them because of the job,” Bowering said.

A retirement gathering will be held on Tuesday, June 4 at 3 p.m. at the Richard Caton III Memorial Police Station to wish Bowering well.

Pomeroy started at FPD in 2005, having previous worked in the real estate and insurance fields. Working at a police station seemed interesting, Pomeroy said.

“I really had no idea what I’d be in for,” she said.

Over the years Pomeroy has seen changes in law enforcement too, with some of her experiences mirroring Bowering’s. One big change has been the rise of digital and social media. Officers have had to adapt, Pomeroy said, from saving Facebook posts to collecting evidence off cellphones: all of which has to be stored by the department. Locally, the death of Chief Caton in 2010 and the opening of the station that now bears his name were two of the biggest changes that Pomeroy can remember. There were smaller but still important happenings as well, like the department’s participation in the Relay For Life and the Ice Bucket Challenge fundraisers.

Peck called Pomeroy the “face of the department.” She is the first person that those interacting with FPD either see at the front door or hear over the phone, Peck said; in many cases, those people are under immense stress. No matter how chaotic things got, Peck said, Pomeroy had always been the “ultimate professional.”

For Pomeroy, interacting with members of law enforcement and with the public over the years had created an effective, second family, one she still hopes to see around the Farmington area. Pomeroy is excited for her new job at FSB, working as a security analyst. It’s a new position that will encompass elements such as branch security and fraud prevention.

Peck said that the department is currently advertising for Pomeroy’s position, but he does not currently anticipate any change in the station’s hours. The department is currently trying to fill two patrol positions, Peck said, after that’s done they will turn their attention to filling the detective position.

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10 Comments

  1. Congratulations to both of you, your commitment to the Town and department demonstrates your devotion to helping others. You should be commended for your service to Farmington, thank you for all that you have done and best wishes in your future!!

  2. Both Marc and Bon-Fire have done their duties well. Congratulations!

  3. Thank you both for your years of professional service to our community. Best wishes in you next adventures!

  4. I hope you enjoy whatever you do with the rest of your lives. Thank you for your service.

  5. This was a very emotional decision for Marc. His last day of a 20 year career with Farmington PD. I am so proud to be his wife! He has put his life on the line serving and protecting the Town of Farmington and its’ people for 20 years. I know that some aspects of his job have been very emotional for him. I’ve spent many nights talking with him and watching the sadness in his eyes as he wished he could just help a little bit more, when helping a little bit more could be nothing short of a miracle. He has helped little children with no voice, elderly kidnap victims, people that thought they had no other alternative than to take their own life, but whom he talked into a more positive alternative. He has helped countless families that have been forever scarred. He has solved murder cases, burglaries, robberies, and seen some horrendous things that no one should ever see! He has sacrificed daily what some seldom do in a lifetime. He has saved lives in so many different ways. Some just by talking and encouraging someone to overcome their burdens and some by physically carrying out lifesaving measures, and sadly some that he could not save no matter how many thousands of chest compressions were done. He has been a mentor to so many. He made some great friends along the way. I know that most of all he’ll miss the family that are his Brothers and Sisters serving alongside him! That family bond can never be broken! They carry a bond that few will understand. I am mostly proud of how He has tried to balance his personal life with police life. It’s not a glamorous profession and it’s a hard balance in protecting others while also protecting your family. He has faced danger, death, and darkness and not once hesitated to show up for his next shift. I am proud of the way he has always handled himself so professionally, while still earning respect from the bad guys. I’m proud of him for putting up with my continuous complaining over one more overtime shift! No matter what the future holds for him, he’ll hold the Town of Farmington and everyone that he has met along the way in his heart! Marc Bowering, you are a true hero!

  6. Thank you both for all you both have given to our community. Your dedication is appreciated beyond words.

  7. I have greatly enjoyed working with Marc, he will be missed and very hard to replace. As a veteran Detective Marc was always approachable, humble, and open to offering his knowledge to help teach the next generation of investigators. Marc, enjoy some much deserved time with your family and of course a little extra time chasing the elusive Whitetail!

  8. Bonnie and Marc have been a pleasure to work with over the years. They have been great partners with the staff at the Sheriff’s Office and both will be greatly missed.

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