MAINE STATE TROOPERS FOUNDATION

Mark Nickerson – President

Mark was born and raised in Vassalboro in a Maine State Police family. He is the son of Ret. Capt. Millard E. Nickerson, former director of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation, who was one of the original Maine State Police detectives formed in 1955.

Mark enlisted in the State Police in 1977 and was assigned to the Moosehead Lake region of Troop C. He became quite proficient in apprehending drunk drivers ending his career with 1,363 OUI arrests. He transferred to Troop D in 1982 living in the Town of Unity. He patrolled most of Waldo County and the eastern portions of Kennebec County. He did a one year assignment as a special Deputy with the U.S. Marshalls office assigned to the Violent Crime Task Force, targeting violent offenders in the central/northern areas of Maine.

Mark retired in 2005 after 28 years with the Maine State Police. He wrote a column for a local Waldo County paper called “Real Life Stories of a Maine State Trooper” for many years. He has served on the board of directors for the Maine State Troopers Foundation since 2007.

Aaron Turcotte – Treasurer

Aaron joined the Maine State Police in 2006 at the 56th Training Troop. He was assigned to Troop C in Skowhegan upon graduation and patrolled the Franklin/Somerset County area. In 2015 he transferred to Traffic Safety working out of Augusta. In 2018, Aaron was promoted to Sergeant in Troop A. Currently he is a patrol supervisor in Troop E Bangor.

Aaron was a member of the Maine State Trooper Association (MSTA) before becoming their treasurer and in 2014 became the president of the MSTA., a position he held for three years. He became a board member of the Maine State Troopers Foundation in 2010.

Darren Foster – Board Member

Darren joined the State Police in 1997 as a member of the 45th training troop.  His first patrol was Troop J in Washington county and later returned home to “the county” where he patrolled the southern Aroostook County area.

Darren became a certified Crash Reconstruction Specialist in 2000, and in 2004, he transferred to the Crash Analysis Unit in Augusta, where he was the Assistant Senior Crash Reconstruction Specialist.

In 2010, Darren was promoted to Sergeant overseeing the Crash Analysis Unit and in 2011, he was elected as the Central Vice-President of the Maine State Troopers Association.  He has served on the board of directors for the Maine State Troopers Foundation since 2013.

Phil Pushard – Board Member

Philip Pushard is a 28 year veteran of the Maine State Police, beginning in 1986 and retiring in 2013. He started his career in Troop E, Orono and retired as a member from Troop K, Traffic. Phil was a Vice President of the Maine State Troopers Association for the last 10 years of his career.

He currently lives in Brewer with his wife of 26 years and has two sons: one is a junior at Brewer High School and the other is a sophomore at the University of Maine. In retirement, Phil coaches baseball and basketball at Brewer High School.

Keith Frank – Board Member

Keith Frank was an Auburn Police officer for six years before joining the Maine State Police in 1984. Upon graduation he was assigned to Troop C, Skowhegan and patrolled the Franklin County area. After spending 10 years in that area he transferred to the Leeds, Greene area before transferring to Troop B, Gray. In 1989 he joined the State Police Tactical Team for 15 years.

His other specialty was as an Emergency Vehicle Operations Instructor (EVOC) for 20 years, finally retiring in 2008. Keith currently works for Akal Security under the direction of the U.S. Marshall Service as court security in the federal court system in Portland, Maine.

Kevin Conger-Board Member

Kevin Conger joined the Maine State Police in 1984 attending the 38th Training Troop. Upon graduation he was assigned to Troop A, Limington area. In 1995 he was promoted to the rank of Sgt. and was assigned to Troop G, turnpike, and in 2005 he was promoted to Lieutenant in charge of the combined Troops A and B, fondly called the ‘Super Troop’.

He was a certified instructor for EVOC, (Emergency Vehicle Operations Course), Radar, and DRE (Drug Recognition) teaching all these subjects for many years.

Kevin retired in 2007 after serving the citizens of Maine for 23 years. In retirement he was the Chief of the Monmouth Police Dept for a year before being selected as the new Chief of the University of Southern Maine College in Portland, where he currently serves.

Mike Kaspereen – Board Member

Michael Kaspereen is a native of New Jersey and a graduate of Unity College in Maine. Mike began his career with the Maine State Police in 1986 as a member of the 39th Training Troop. He was assigned to Troop B and patrolled Oxford and Androscoggin Counties upon graduation. Mike was also assigned to Troop G, Turnpike, Troop K, Traffic, and the Executive Protection Unit.

A canine handler 15 years, Mike worked three different dogs. He was promoted to Sergeant in 2000 as the Supervisor, Principal Canine Trainer for the Canine Unit. Mike retired in 2010 after 25 years of service to the people of Maine.