PARIS — Mike Ward, the former chief of the Oxford Police Department, is set to become Paris’ chief in September.

Ward retired as Oxford’s chief in 2022 and has been working at Polly’s Variety in Oxford and serving as president of the Helping Hands food pantry, which operates from the store. However, he said he couldn’t resist the allure of jumping back into his chosen career when he saw the opening in Paris.

“I guess it’s in your blood,” Ward said by phone Monday.

Ward said he wanted to become a police officer since high school and after a ride-along with a friend, he decided that was the job for him.

“I saw that it was something different everyday and that really intrigued me,” Ward said. “Plus you get to do a lot of good.”

Ward has worked in law enforcement for 35 years since attending the police academy in 1987 and being hired by the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office in Auburn.

He graduated from Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and earned an associate degree in business administration from Andover College. Ward grew up in the area and currently lives next door to the house where he grew up in Oxford.

“I have a lot of ties to the Oxford Hills area,” Ward said.

“Your neighbors look out for you, you look out for your neighbors,” he said. “You just don’t find that anymore.”

During his 10 years as a deputy at the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office, Ward served as a corrections officer, 911 dispatcher, and as D.A.R.E. officer for Poland. He joined Poland Rescue in 1986.

From 1998 to 2003 he worked as a D.A.R.E. officer and second-in-command patrol sergeant for the Mechanic Falls Police Department. He moved on to join the Oxford Police Department in 2004 where he stayed through 2008. In 2008 he went back to the ACSO, filling the position of chief deputy for six months before returning to OPD in 2009. In 2018, he was appointed Oxford’s chief.

“He became Oxford’s Police Chief in 2018 where he served for many years, earning a reputation for professionalism, his open-door policy, humor and community involvement,” a news release from the town of Paris reads.

Ward wants to “make sure people feel safe” in Paris. He said he has an open door policy where anyone is welcome to come in and talk to him.

“The Paris Police Department does an excellent job and I just want to continue that legacy,” Ward said.

Ward is an avid outdoorsman with a passion for fly-fishing, hunting, snowmobiling and golfing.

After a six-week search by a panel that included members of the Paris Select Board, Paris Town Manager Natalie Andrews, and Maine State Police Sgt. Daniel Hanson, Ward was selected as Paris Police Chief from seven final candidates, according to the news release.

“We had a very impressive group of candidates,” Hanson said. “We wanted to make sure we hired someone that was capable and competent. What really stood out to me was the close to 200-plus years of combined law enforcement experience they had.”

“Mike’s years of experience, credentials and reputation preceded him,” Andrews said.

Paris has been searching for a new police chief since former Chief Michael Dailey resigned in July following a chase and shootout in May.