Months after his retirement from the Hancock County Sheriff’s Office was announced by the sheriff — news that prompted a public argument with other county officials — the county’s former chief deputy has taken a job as a detective with the Ellsworth Police Department.
Corey Bagley’s last day as the county’s chief deputy was Friday, Aug. 4, according to Hancock County Administrator Michael Crooker.
The following Monday, Bagley began working full-time as an Ellsworth police detective, directly across State Street from the sheriff’s office, where he first started in law enforcement as a patrol deputy in the 1990s.
This comes months after Sheriff Scott Kane got into a public argument with Commissioner Bill Clark about the nature of Bagley’s departure, according to a report in The Ellsworth American in June. While Kane said that Bagley was retiring voluntarily, Clark accused Kane of forcing Bagley out so the sheriff’s brother, Patrick Kane, could return as chief deputy. Patrick Kane retired from the post last fall to take a job with a property development company.
Scott Kane did not respond to messages Friday about the chief deputy position. So far, it hasn’t been filled.
Earlier this summer, Scott Kane told county commissioners — who approve the rates of pay for all county employees — that he wanted to hire back his brother on an interim basis after Bagley left, according to the Ellsworth American. But Clark and other commissioners were concerned that Patrick Kane would only fill in part-time because, according to Clark, he also planned to keep his full-time property development job.
After the commissioners decided to offer Patrick Kane only part-time pay without benefits, he decided not to accept the interim appointment, county officials said.
Bagley said Friday that though he officially retired three weeks ago from the sheriff’s department, he essentially had not been working all summer because of the dispute over the chief deputy position. He was able to use some of his accrued vacation time before his retirement from the sheriff’s department became official.
Bagley declined to comment further on his departure from the sheriff’s department.
“I’m excited to be back in law enforcement,” he said.
Prior to being appointed chief deputy, Bagley served as a lieutenant with the sheriff’s department for five years. He also worked for 13 years as an agent and then supervisor with Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.
Glenn Moshier, Ellsworth’s city manager and police chief, said last week that Bagley started working part-time for Ellsworth in July while he was transitioning out of his chief deputy position.
“We’re thrilled to have someone with his experience and knowledge on board,” Moshier said.
Bagley said he is glad to be working for Ellsworth PD, with officers he’s gotten to know over the years through his work with MDEA and when Ellsworth and Hancock County departments cooperated on calls. His son Nick Bagley also works as a patrol officer for Ellsworth.
Crooker, the county administrator, said he believes the sheriff is close to naming someone new to fill the job.
“I’m being told an announcement on a new [chief] deputy is forthcoming soon,” he said.
