The Easton Police Department is pleased to announce the following promotions, which came into effect on Saturday, April 1, 2023. As these individuals become our latest generation of supervisors within the Patrol Division, we are excited to see their continued growth and contributions towards the safety and commitment to the members of the Easton community.

Sergeant. Brian C. Doyle

Sgt B. Doyle is a 30 year veteran with the police department. Prior to joining the Easton Police Department, Sgt. B. Doyle served his country in the United States Marine Corps. His previous assignments include tenures in the Patrol Division, Talbot County Narcotics Task Force, Community Outreach, Critical Response Team-Tactical Unit, UAV Drone Operator, and Quartermaster. Sgt. B. Doyle is currently assigned to the Patrol Division as a Patrol Squad Supervisor.

Sergeant. Joshua D. Merrick

Sgt. Merrick is a 17 year veteran with the police department. Sgt. Merrick began his career as a Police Dispatcher with our department. Since becoming a police officer, he has taken assignments in the Patrol Division, Special Operations Division-Narcotics Unit, and the current supervisor of our department’s Advanced Accident Reconstruction Unit. Sgt. Merrick is currently assigned to the Patrol Division as a Patrol Squad Supervisor.

Sergeant. Allen K. Orrison

Sgt. Orrison is a 13 ½ year veteran with the police department. Prior to joining the Easton Police Department, Sgt. Orrison served a total of 8 years with other out-of-state police agencies, including as an International Police Advisor in Iraq. During his time here, he has been assigned as a Narcotics Investigator with both the Special Operations Division and the Talbot County Narcotics Task Force. Sgt. Orrison is currently assigned to the Patrol Division as a Patrol Squad Supervisor.

Corporal Ashley M. Bayne

Cpl. Bayne is an 11 ½ year veteran with the police department. Prior to joining the Easton Police Department, she served as a deputy for Kent County Sheriff’s Office. Cpl. Bayne is currently assigned to the K9 Unit with her partner “Axe.”  Cpl. Bayne is currently assigned to the Patrol Division as an Assistant Patrol Squad Supervisor.

Corporal Joseph M. Schinault

Cpl. J. Schinault is a veteran with the police department for almost 11 years. Since becoming a member, he has been assigned to the Patrol Division, Critical Response Team-Tactical Unit, and current K9 handler with his partner “Murph.” Cpl. J. Schinault is currently assigned to the Patrol Division as an Assistant Patrol Squad Supervisor.

Congratulations to all of our newly promoted officers, the Easton Police Department is proud of your progress and excited to see you grow in these new roles.

The Easton Police Department wishes to offer a heartfelt goodbye to Acting Captain George Paugh III, who retires on Friday, March 10th. Captain Paugh is retiring after 26 years of service with Easton Police Department.

Deputy Chief Gregory Wright says, “Captain Paugh has been with us for a long time and will be greatly missed. He has always been a dedicated worker, a great resource, and friend. We hate to see him leave, but we wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors and are thankful for all that he has done for us.”

Captain Paugh began with EPD in January of 1997. He started off with the patrol division, where he worked for 2 years before moving to the narcotics unit. He then worked with narcotics for the next 15 years and was promoted to unit supervisor. After his time with the narcotics unit, he was then assigned to the Criminal Investigations Unit as the supervisor. In September of 2017 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, becoming the department’s Patrol Division Commander.

As the Patrol Division Commander he developed a proposal to increase the department’s K9 unit to 4 teams, which was approved and implemented. He also wrote a proposal for an Unmanned Aerial Systems (drone) Unit, which was approved by the FAA and the Town of Easton.

Captain Paugh also served as the Commander of numerous other units within his division including the K9 Unit, Accident Reconstruction, Crisis Intervention, and a Crisis Response Unit comprised of a negotiation team and tactical team.

In January 2023, he was appointed Acting Captain in a pilot professional development program where he oversaw internal affairs along with policy and procedures.

In his 26 years of service with the EPD, he has been awarded the Silver Star, the Chief’s Award, 3 Commander’s Awards, 2 Exceptional Service Awards, 6 Unit Citations, Police Officer of the Year 2001, Educational Award, Police Officer Award, Service Award Twenty Five Years, Military Service Award, 100 th Year Anniversary Ribbon, and the 2002-2003 Law Enforcement Officer of the Year from the Knights of Columbus. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a Major in Criminal Justice Administration from Trident University International out of Cypress, California.

Following his retirement from EPD, Captain Paugh will continue his law enforcement career as the Chief of Police in Greensboro, Maryland. Captain Paugh stated, “Making the decision to retire from the Easton Police Department, after 26 years has been tough. This is a place that has raised my children, a place that has brought me joy and sadness,  a place that has trained and educated me beyond belief, and a place where I have worked with some of the best cops in the industry! You are the sisters and brothers I never had. Thank you all for making this a great place to work.”

Chief Alan Lowrey stated, “It is difficult for a department to lose someone like George Paugh.  I will always be grateful for how he welcomed me to the department and assisted my transition.  He is a real professional and constantly looking to improve our profession.  I am glad he will be working close to us in Caroline County.”

The Easton Police Department has been serving the community with pride since 1906. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our community by maintaining a positive working relationship with our community that inspires trust and confidence in our ability to preserve the peace, reduce crime, the perception of crime, and to protect life and property within the framework of the United States Constitution.

If you would like to join us in serving our community, please visit EPDCareers.com.

Starting in January 2023, the Easton Police Department initiated a professional development program to prepare officers and supervisors for their next rank.  This program is designed to give officers the opportunity to work in “acting” capacities for the next rank up the chain of command.  During this time as an “acting supervisor”, they learn the knowledge and skills of the rank from the current supervisor.  Rotation of officers and supervisors through these programs will run through the end of June 2023.

Easton Police Chief Alan Lowrey considers these professional development programs to be critical to prepare the next generation of supervisors and ensure continuity of operations at the Easton Police Department. Chief Lowrey stated, “It is my hope that these programs will give officers an opportunity to learn the assignment ahead of time, and even to decide if it is something they want to pursue. It also gives the department an opportunity to gauge a person’s aptitude for the job before deciding to assign them to it.” Programs are in place for the positions of captain, first sergeant, sergeant, and training sergeant.

In the captain program, Lieutenant George Paugh III was elevated to the rank of acting captain through June 2023. Acting Captain Paugh III is responsible for the duties of the current Deputy Chief, with specific emphasis on formation of the department budget, assisting with the transition of the department regarding administrative technology, and testing the possible creation of an Office of Professional Responsibility; which would focus on independent internal investigations, maintaining appropriate policies, and auditing compliance with policies and laws.  

Officers participating in the lieutenant program are Sergeant Tim Larrimore, Sergeant Pat Sally, Sergeant Jason Dyott, Sergeant David Trevino, Sergeant Milton Orellana, Sergeant Gordon Lee. These sergeants interested in the position of lieutenant will serve for approximately a month each as the acting lieutenant over the Patrol Division or Special Operations Division.

Current sergeants interested in appointment as a first sergeant will be rotated to learn the duties of the patrol division first sergeant. Sergeant Tim Larrimore, Sergeant Pat Sally, and Sergeant Jason Dyott are all participants.

Current corporals interested in promotion to sergeant will be rotated to learn the duties of the sergeant position. Corporal Megan Coxon, Corporal Allen Orrison, Corporal Howard Maxwell, Corporal Brian Doyle, and Corporal Josh Merrick are all participants.

The training sergeant program is assigned to Sergeant Gordon Lee.  Sergeant Lee is a state certified general instructor and firearms instructor. Chief Lowrey believes this position to be critical to the department’s ability to properly train and retain staff, especially to assimilate new officers into the department. Lowrey says, “A major area of liability is a failure to train officers to handle situations that are reasonably foreseeable.  A recurrent theme during police reform conversations is the need for more and better training for police officers.” Lowrey adds, “ This will only happen if we are willing to dedicate the resources needed to accomplish this year after year.”

Over Chief Lowrey’s three decades in law enforcement, he has found that too much training for new roles takes place after promotion. The program aims to prepare officers for future promotion by giving them hands-on experience in the role they are working towards.  Chief Lowrey notes, “Throughout my law enforcement career, an officer stepping into a new role would often find themselves in a sink or swim situation. Many police departments rotate assignments every 2-3 years, and a year of that would be spent trying to learn the job and figure out what you didn’t know.”

The Easton Police Department has been serving the community with pride since 1906. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our community by maintaining a positive working relationship with our community that inspires trust and confidence in our ability to preserve the peace, reduce crime, the perception of crime, and to protect life and property within the framework of the United States Constitution. Please visit https://eastonmd.gov/196/Police for more information.

On December 17 the Talbot Optimist Club held its annual Shop With a Cop program. The Easton Police Department and the Talbot County Sheriff’s Department came together to take 21 children on a shopping spree for the holidays. Thanks to the Easton Police Department and the Talbot County Sheriff’s Department for their ongoing support, and to the Easton Elks Lodge #1622, WalMart, as well as generous donations throughout the county that help make this program possible.

The 2022 Easton Police Department annual Toy Drive has come to a close and was a massive success. This year’s Toy Drive provided toys for 211 children from 92 families.

The Easton Police Department would like to thank the following community partners for their assistance with this project:

The Easton Police Department would like to thank the following community partners for their assistance with this project: Andersen Wealth Management, The Bagery, The Bryan Foundation, Best Western, Cracker Jacks Toy Store, Doc’s Downtown Grill, Dr. Nicholas, Dibendetto DDS, Hobbytown, Petsmart, The Quality Inn, Talbot County Sheriff’s Department, and WalMart.

We also want to thank the hundreds of members of our community that donated toys or money this year, we could not have done it without you! Easton Police Department offers our best wishes to everyone for a happy and safe holiday!

The Easton Police Department has been serving the community with pride since 1906. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life in our community by maintaining a positive working relationship with our community that inspires trust and confidence in our ability to preserve the peace, reduce crime, the perception of crime, and to protect life and property within the framework of the United States Constitution. Please visit https://eastonmd.gov/196/Police for more information.

On June 16, officers Tyquan Wesley Beckett and Cory Scott Schuch graduated from the 88th Session of the Eastern Shore Criminal Justice Academy (ESCJA). ESCJA students complete approximately six months of intense training in various topics that prepare them to begin their careers in law enforcement. Becket and Schuch have now returned to the Easton Police Department (EPD), where they will complete another 300 hours in a field training program.

Officer Beckett was born and raised in Talbot County. He’s a 2016 graduate of Easton High School, where he played football, basketball, and track & field. In 2022, Beckett graduated from Frostburg State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice.

Officer Schuch was born and raised in Baltimore County and graduated from Eastern Technical High School in 2012. In 2017, he received an Institute of Applied Agriculture Certificate from the University of Maryland, College Park.

“We are extremely proud of these two officers,” said Captain Gregory S. Wright, Deputy Chief of Police for the EPD.“We wish them both success and are excited to see what they accomplish during their careers.”