Police Department History

Department History:

The Town of Lee Police Department was established in 1938. The Constable Calixte Baillargeon had a budget of $5.00 a year. Prior to this, only the Strafford County Sheriff did what enforcement was necessary in the Town of Lee.

In 1946 Gilman “Mike” Menter became the town’s first Police Chief. The town’s police budget was increased to $10.00 a year in 1946.

Gilman “Mike” Menter served as the town’s first Police Chief until 1965. In 1965 Robert L. Keniston Jr. took over as the town’s second Police Chief serving from 1965 until 1968. The third Police Chief, Francis “Frank” Walden, served from 1968 until 1972. In 1972 Brian Burke became the town’s fourth Police Chief and the town’s first full-time employee. Brian Burke went on to serve twenty-eight years as the Chief of Police with the Town of Lee Police Department before he retired in 2001. During his tenure he was able to increase the work force from one full-time employee to five full-time officers, thirteen part-time officers, one full-time and one part-time administrative employee. Chief Chester W. Murch replaced Chief Burke in 2001.

In 2014 when Chief Murch retired, he was replaced by the current Chief of Police Thomas C. Dronsfield, Jr. The Police Department now consists of eight full-time officers, to include the Chief of Police, one part-time officer and one full-time administrative employee. The current operating budget is just under $500,000.

Shoulder Patch:

The “Shoulder Patch” has a true meaning. The patch itself shows the fact that the Town of Lee was Incorporated in the year 1766. The “Mastway” is the roadway, which was used by the king’s men to haul large trees that were later used for masts of the king’s ships. The picture itself illustrates two oxen pulling some of these trees down the Mastway.