Page 18 - Spring Summer 2023

Cote Leaves Maine State Police

Feeling a Sense of Satisfaction

By Joe Cyr ‘89
By Joe Cyr ‘89
Houlton Pioneer Times
Houlton Pioneer T imes

Editor’s Note: What a wonderful ending to a storied A native of Houlton, Cote announced his retirement
career for Col. Cote. John ‘80 was the featured “Spotlight recently after 33 years of service with the Maine State
on Alumni” on page 5 in the Spring/Summer 2015 issue Police. His final day was Sept. 30. Cote accepted a
of the North Star News, a much deserved, recognition. position with Bison Transportation USA as its Eastern
While retiring from one career he is about to embark on Region Director of Safety with Hartt Transportation
another. The Maine State Police’s loss is certainly Hartt Systems.
Transportation’s gain. Best wishes on your new career John.
Cote joined the state police in 1989, spending much
of his career investigating homicides, suspicious
deaths and was a member of the tactical dive team
doing underwater recovery. He later served as the
commanding officer for Troop F in Houlton. Prior to
joining the state police, Cote was an Aroostook County
sheriff’s deputy.

A native of Houlton, Cote

announced his retirement
recently after 33 years of

service with the Maine State
Col. John Cote
Police.
AUGUSTA, Maine — Col. John Cote has only one regret
after spending 33 years in law enforcement, but it is an Col. Cote and his command staff team have led
issue his successor will likely deal with for many years to the MSP through some of the agency’s most high-
come.
profile incidents and during trying times for the law
The Maine State Police, like most law enforcement enforcement profession. At the forefront of that effort
agencies across the country, has struggled to fill was dealing with changing attitudes by the public
positions and retain the officers they already have in toward police officers.
recent years. It is a nagging sense of unfinished business “While the narrative has started to lose some traction,
that will bother Cote for years to come.
for the last couple of years ‘anti-police’ or ‘defund
“I wish that as I left, the state police were fully staffed,” the police’ movement has negatively impacted our
Cote said on Tuesday, Sept. 28. “We have approximately profession,” he said. “I am confident that as citizens
fifty sworn vacancies currently. The challenge of interact with our officers in Maine, they will see our folks
recruitment and retention remains a top concern at all are compassionate and capable. Slowly, one contact at
levels of law enforcement. State, county, local and federal a time, officers will change that narrative through their
agencies are all lacking staffing and struggling to find professionalism and commitment to service.”
qualified candidates.”

18 www.houltonalumni.com