Two new officers sworn in

Tupper Lake's two newest police officers were officially sworn in at a village special session Wednesday. Gage Madore and Kristopher Clark, both hometown lads, were signing their oaths of office that day while flanked in the photo by (at left) Chief Eric Proulx, Trustee Clint Hollingsworth and Mayor Paul Maroun, and at right by Deputy Mayor Leon LeBlanc, Kris' grandfather, and Trustee Ron LaScala.

Chief Proulx explained that the two new officers were two of three on the preferred state civil service list for Tupper Lake and he was given permission by the agency to hire them. The two officers also recently passed their required police physicals. The third candidate on the list declined the job offer.

The motion to hire them was moved by Trustee LaScala and seconded by Trustee Hollingsworth. Trustee Leon LeBlanc abstained due to his relationship with Kris. The measure passed unanimously.

Their mandatory schooling began Monday at SUNY Canton which the village will pay for. Their lodging in an apartment in Canton for the next four months at a rate of $850 per month will also be paid, as will a meal allowance of $100 per person per week. Living in the furnished apartment, they can make their own meals, as opposed to eating in restaurants.

With the rental arrangement, the village will see considerable savings, as opposed to them driving to Canton for class each day. In the past the village has paid for officers' mileage at a rate of 54 cents per mile.

Chief Proulx estimated if the two officers drove to class it would have cost the village $13,000 in mileage over the next four months.

“Paying them mileage would have been a considerable amount more money for the village,” he noted.

The village will also pay the pair's tuition at $1,200 each. There are other college costs at about $750 each for books, fees, etc.

He said the police academy at Canton is considerably cheaper than the similar program at SUNY Plattsburgh which is about $5,000 per officer.

The chief also said that the $18,000 the village recently received from the Village of Malone for reimbursement of training costs for Officer Hesseltine who recently joined the Malone force more than pays for the training of the two new officers.

Officers Madore and Clark will replace Officers Muldowney and Hesseltine, who both left the local PD this past year.

The chief noted that he would still like to hire two more police officers this year to fill the positions of school resource officers.

He said once Gage and Kris finish their schooling in May they will engage in on-the-job training in the local department for several months and by late summer will be able to patrol the village on their own.

Incidentally Kris Clark is a third generation officer with the Tupper Lake Police Department. His other grandfather George “Bozo” Clark had a long and decorated career here and Kris' father Stacey also served on the force for a time.

Gage is the son of Rob Madore and Andrea Duval and Kris is the son of Stacey Clark and Bridgette LaPierre.