Augusta - Colin MacDonald, an 18-year veteran of the Maine Marine Patrol, has been promoted to the rank of Captain.
In the new role, Captain MacDonald will be responsible for planning, directing, overseeing, and evaluating all activities within Marine Patrol's Special Services Division which includes the Underwater Recovery Team, the Maritime Security Team, the Firearms Team, and the Whale Disentanglement Team.
Captain MacDonald will also oversee and manage technology including cell phones, computers, radios, navigation software, and database. He will supervise Marine Patrols Central Fleet service which maintains all Marine Patrol vehicles and will oversee maintenance and operations of Marine Patrols aircraft and watercraft fleet.
He is a graduate of University of Maine at Presque Isle and holds degrees in Recreation and Leisure, Natural Resource Law Enforcement, and Criminal Justice.
Captain MacDonald began his career with Maine Marine Patrol in 2004, serving as an Officer on Mount Desert Island. He was promoted to Specialist in 2010 and assigned to the patrol vessel Dirigo. In 2014 he was promoted to Sergeant and served from the Canadian border to Stockton Springs, where he served until his recent promotion. Captain MacDonald fills a position held by Matthew Talbot prior to his promotion to Colonel in June.
"During Captain MacDonald's career he has always been committed to the commercial fishing industry and has shown a high level of effort and dedication towards resource-oriented patrol work," said Colonel Talbot "He has been involved in numerous search and rescues and recoveries over the years always serving the families and community well and representing the Marine Patrol in a highly professional manner."
Captain MacDonald holds a US Coast Guard Masters license, National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Tactical Operators certification and Officer Water Survival Instructor certification, Level 3 Whale Disentanglement certification, and is a certified Advanced Open Water Diver. He is currently both the Whale Disentanglement Team Leader and the Maine State Police/Maine Marine Patrol Underwater Recovery Team Assistant Leader.
"Captain MacDonald brings important skills and relevant experience to his new position and I'm confident that he will be able to jump right into the new role and tackle the many projects in the works, including the construction of two new large patrol boats, facility infrastructure projects, and Officer training program modifications, to name a few," said Colonel Talbot.
Marine Patrol has begun the hiring process to fill MacDonald's vacant Sergeant position in the coastal section that stretches from Stockton Springs to Lamoine.
The Marine Patrol is a Bureau of the Maine Department of Marine Resource that provides law enforcement, search and rescue, public health, maritime security, and public safety services on Maines coastal and tidal waters. More information about the Maine Marine Patrol can be found at http://www.maine.gov/dmr/bmp/homepage.html
