March 12, 2024

Glenn Moshier
City of Ellsworth
1 City Hall Plaza
Ellsworth, ME 04605

Re: Notice of Termination of Employment from Chief of Police Position

Dear Glenn:

The purpose of this letter is to inform you that the Ellsworth City Council, acting in the capacity
of City Manager, is terminating your employment as Chief of Police for the reasons that follow.
You remain on paid administrative leave with respect to the City Manager position until the end
of that appointment on March 31, 2024.

Findings of Fact

Members of the EPD approached Deputy Chief Bires to complain about your actions on the
evening of Friday, December 22, 2023. The complaints were then reported to the Chair of the
Ellsworth City Council since you also were serving as City Manager and the City Manager would
normally supervise the Chief of Police as a department head. The Chair of the City Council met
with you on or about December 28, 2023. As a result of that meeting, you went on paid
administrative leave from the Chief of Police position pending an investigation. The City engaged
Edgewater Reliance, LLC to conduct an internal affairs investigation and an investigation report
was issued on January 30, 2024. After reviewing the report, the City Council scheduled a
disciplinary hearing to afford you the opportunity to be heard. Due to scheduling issues, the hearing
was not held until Monday, March 4, 2024.

Based on the investigation report and associated materials and your testimony at the disciplinary
hearing, the Council finds the following facts:

You were not on duty on the evening of Friday, December 22, 2023. You spent the evening holiday
shopping with family. You stated that you consumed five alcoholic beverages (beer) between the
hours of 5:00 pm and 9:00 pm. You went to bed shortly after 10:00 pm.

You were awoken by a telephone call at approximately 10:30 pm, notifying you of an officer
involved shooting. It was not clear at first who was involved and what was happening so you
decided to report to the police station. You stated that you did this because you felt it was your
responsibility to support your officers.
Glenn Moshier
March 12, 2024
Page 2

Your wife drove you to the station. You reported that this was because you did not have your
cruiser at home and you did not want her to be without a vehicle. You did not carry your
department-issued service weapon to the station that night as it was secured in your cruiser. You
did carry your off-duty compact weapon to the station.

Before entering the station, you and your wife went to a service station where you bought gum and
iced tea. You had gum before entering the station and started drinking the iced tea. You entered
the station at approximately 10:54 pm.

At the station, you stated that you were attempting to be supportive of your officers. Based on your
interactions with various people at the station, five officers and DC Bires said they smelled alcohol
on your breath. Some witnesses said your speech was slurred but others did not notice slurred
speech. Several officers said they thought you were still under the influence of alcohol when you
arrived at the station as you were acting uncharacteristically loud and emotional. Given the amount
of alcohol you admitted to consuming earlier in the evening, the timing of the incident, the fact
that you chose not to drive and purchased items that may have been intended to disguise the effects
of the alcohol, and the reports from officers, the Council finds that it is more likely than not that
you were under the influence of alcohol when you arrived at the station.

Following the incident, you did not file a report as required by EPD procedures.

Conclusions

Based on the findings stated above, the Council concludes that you violated the following policies
of the City of Ellsworth:

1. EPD Professional Conduct and Responsibility, Policy #10, III(B)(14), Possession,

Purchase, and Use of Alcohol.

The policy states that off-duty employees shall not consume intoxicants to the extent that their
consumption is detectable when reporting for duty or to the extent that it results in an act that might
bring discredit to the department. Employees shall not appear for duty or be on duty while under
the influence of intoxicants or with the odor of intoxicants on their breath.

Conclusion: When you reported to the station, multiple witnesses stated that you had the odor of
intoxicants on your breath, you chose not to drive your vehicle to the station, you used items that
could be viewed as disguising the smell of alcohol, and you acted in a manner consistent with
being under the influence of alcohol. It is more likely than not that you were under the influence
of alcohol when you arrived at the station. This is a violation of EPD Professional Conduct and
Responsibility, Policy #10, III(B)(14)

2. EPD Standard Operating Procedure, #1 A(VII)(E), Carrying Firearms Off-Duty.

Glenn Moshier
March 12, 2024
Page 3

The policy states that no police officer will be permitted to possess or carry a concealed weapon
at any time the police officer is consuming or under the influence of any intoxicating beverage or
impairing medication.

Conclusion: You were in possession of your compact weapon when you reported to the station. It
is more likely than not that you were under the influence of alcohol when you arrived at the station.
This is a violation of EPD Standard Operating Procedure, #1 A(VII)(E), Carrying Firearms Off-
Duty.

3. EPD Professional Conduct and Responsibility, Policy #10, III(A)(2), Personal

Behavior/Conduct Unbecoming.

The policy states that employees shall always conduct themselves, both on and off duty, in a
manner that is in keeping with the highest ethical standards of the law enforcement profession.
Conduct unbecoming an employee includes actions by the employees that bring the department
into a state of disrepute or discredit, reflects unfavorably upon the employees as a member of the
department, embarrasses, damages, or affects the reputation of the department, or impairs the
operation of the department or the work of any of its personnel.

Conclusion: Reporting to the station under the influence of alcohol and acting uncharacteristically
loud and emotionally is a violation of EPD Professional Conduct and Responsibility, Policy #10,
II(A)(2).

4. EPD Professional Conduct and Responsibility, Policy #10, I1I(B)(13), Department

Reports.

The policy states that employees shall submit all necessary reports on time and in compliance with
established procedure and/or supervisory directives. Reports submitted by employees shall be
accurate, complete, truthful, and timely.

Conclusion: The incident in question occurred on the night of December 22 into the early morning
of December 23, 2023. You were not placed on paid administrative leave until December 28, 2023.
Yet, during this time you did not file a report. This is a violation of EPD Professional Conduct
and Responsibility, Policy #10, III(B)(13).

As Chief of Police, you must be held to the highest standard of conduct. It is imperative that you
serve as an exemplary role model for all officers and meticulously comply with all EPD rules and
regulations. Appearing at the station while under the influence of alcohol, particularly during the
intense situation the department was dealing with at that time, and carrying a weapon with any
Glenn Moshier
March 12, 2024
Page 4

amount of alcohol in your system are very serious breaches of expectations of conduct for a Chief
of Police and constitute violations of EPD rules and regulations. Given the serious nature of the
violations, the detrimental impact of such violations on your ability to effectively lead your
department and maintain the respect required in the position as Chief of Police, and the failure to
serve as a positive example for all officers, the City Council has concluded that termination of
your employment is the appropriate discipline, notwithstanding your dedicated service with EPD
and professed good intentions of supporting the department that night.

Therefore, your employment as Chief of Police is terminated effective March 11, 2024. You
remain on paid administrative leave with respect to the City Manager position until the end of that
appointment on March 31, 2024.

Sincerely,

Michelle Beal, Chair

Casey Hanson, Councilor

Steven O’ Halloran, Councilor

Jon Stein, Councilor

Patrick Lyons, Councilor

Nancy Smith, Councilor

(Councilor Tammy Mote did not participate)