FARMINGTON — Franklin County commissioners voted Tuesday to promote Detective David St. Laurent to detective lieutenant and jail transport officer Phillip “Phil” Richards to corporal and transport supervisor.

Both men work for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.

Chief Deputy Steven Lowell explained the process of how the two men were chosen to fill positions left vacant after Detective Lt. Niles Yeaton and Cpl. Albert Smith retired April 30.

Oral boards were held April 29 with two candidates from the Sheriff’s Office for the detective lieutenant position, he said. Participating in the interviews were two detective sergeants from the Maine State Police, a detective captain from the Oxford County Sheriff’s Office and Franklin County Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr.

St. Laurent of Farmington is a 14-year veteran of the department and has spent 12 years in the Criminal Investigation Division, Lowell said. He is the department’s primary domestic violence and child abuse investigator.

His pay will go from $18.20 per hour to $20.30 per hour, county Clerk Julie Magoon said.

Three people from the corrections division applied to be transport officer supervisor, he said. An oral board was conducted with candidates on Friday with county jail Manager Doug Blauvelt, Lt. David Rackliffe and Sheriff Scott Nichols Sr., he said.

Richards of Strong has worked for the department since 2006 and spent four years years in the transport division.

His pay will increase from $17 per hour to $17.85 per hour, Magoon said.

Commissioners also gave permission to post the detective position and the transport officer position in-house.

Lowell said he believes the positions could be filled from within the department.

Rackliffe said the department has started a new quarterly recognition program.

He recognized Deputy Christopher Chase as Deputy of the Quarter based on his outstanding performance, Rackliffe said. He named a number of programs Chase has created or been involved in, including one that reaches out to schools and teachers not served by a school resource officer and training programs for law enforcement members.

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