Penquis Valley grad Olmstead becomes a state trooper

VASSALBORO — Maine’s newest state troopers received their badges April 13 in ceremonies at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.

Among the five new state troopers is David Olmstead. He grew up in Milo and graduated from Penquis Valley High School in 2008. Olmstead enlisted in the Maine Army National Guard and deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. He has been a patrol officer with the Bangor Police Department for the past five years. Olmstead is assigned to Troop E, Penobscot County

Olmstead and the other four troopers completed 10 weeks of specialized Maine State Police training. All are previous graduates of the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. The new troopers will now patrol with a veteran trooper before being on their own.

The graduation speaker was Gov. Paul LePage, R-Maine who noted that the five troopers all grew up in Maine and thanked them for wanting to serve their state.

Deputy Chief of the State Police John Cote told the new troopers, “You will witness events and activities that few people see, and your presence represents order, compassion and reason.”

Trooper Olmstead