Member Spotlight: Auburn Chief of Police Phil Crowell

Law enforcement leader Auburn Chief Phil Crowell, who has been a member of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids for more than 11 years and is also a member of our new National Leadership Council, was recently named Chief of the Year by the Maine Chiefs of Police Association at its annual awards banquet held recently in South Portland.

“The Maine Chiefs of Police Association is an amazing organization for law enforcement agencies in the state of Maine, and to be recognized by my colleagues is very humbling,” Crowell said.

Crowell is a 24-year veteran of the Auburn Police Department and has been responsible for many initiatives that have led to the Auburn Police Department being ranked among the state’s best. In awarding this honor to Chief Crowell, retired Chief Brad Paul referenced Chief Crowell’s involvement with Fight Crime: Invest in Kids.

In 2016, when he served as President of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, Chief Crowell was also awarded Fight Crime: Invest in Kids’ Champion of Children award in recognition of his work for all Maine children, with a special focus on at-risk children. Pictured at left: Maine Fight Crime: Invest in Kids State Director Kim Gore presenting Auburn Chief Phil Crowell with the award.

Chief Crowell has been a champion working alongside Fight Crime: Invest in Kids in advocating for high-quality early learning programs across Maine and the nation. He has met with U.S. Senators Olympia Snowe, Susan Collins, and Angus King, as well as Representatives Chellie Pingree, Bruce Poliquin and Mike Michaud to talk about the research case to be made for greater investments in Head Start/Early Head Start, the Child Care Development Block grant, home visiting, as well as the recently approved Social Impact Partnership to Pay for Results Act, and juvenile justice reforms. On the state level, Chief Crowell has testified before the Appropriations Committee and the Health and Human Services Committee seeking better funding for Head Start and Early Head Start.

“If they had had the opportunity to participate in high-quality early-learning programs, such as Head Start, PreK, and child care, they might have had a better chance to succeed, not only in school, but in life beyond school — and not turn to crime as their only viable option,” Chief Crowell said. “Research has proven what law enforcement knows from our own experiences: high-quality early learning programs help kids, especially those who are at-risk, get started on the right path in life. It also saves money and helps keep our communities safer in the long-term. Maine’s youngest children deserve everyone’s support and I am proud to advocate for them along with my fellow law enforcement leaders who are members of Fight Crime: Invest in Kids.”

Pictured above: Auburn Chief Phil Crowell speaking to U.S. Sen. Susan Collins in her D.C. office about the importance of high-quality early learning and it’s links to reduced crime.