Former Ellsworth Police Chief Harold “Pete” Bickmore Passes Away at Age 65
Former Ellsworth Police Chief, Harold "Pete" Bickmore passed away at the age of 65 on July 26th after a long battle with cancer.
Chief Bickmore had an extensive background in law enforcement, starting with the Scarborough Police Department, which he joined in 1980. After six years in Southern Maine, he joined the FBI as a Special Agent in 1987, and was assigned to the Newark Division. In 1995 he was promoted to Supervisory Special Agent in the Organized Crime/Drug Division in Washington D.C., and then moved with the FBI to Boston two years later.
Then in 2008, Bickmore served in Baghdad, Iraq as supervisor of the FBI's first Foreign Fighter Exploitation Team Initiative. He received the Joint Civilian Service Commendation Award and Medal from the Department of Defense. In addition, he was awarded the FBI's Medal for Meritorious Achievement in May of 2009 by the Director of the FBI for his quick, life-saving actions that saved the life of a young girl in the Boston area. At the end of his career with the FBI, BIckmore worked with the Domestic Terrorism Program and was responsible for all Domestic Terrorism Investigations throughout the U.S.
He retired from the FBI in 2013, after 26 years of service. He then worked in corporate security for the Cleveland Browns NFL football organization and Curtiss-Wright Corporation in Pennsylvania.
He began working for the City of Ellsworth in February, 2016 until he resigned on December 30, 2016. Current Chief Glenn Moshier took over as acting chief, before being appointed permanent chief in February of 2017.
In May of 2016 I had the opportunity to interview Chief Bickmore