SCARBOROUGH, ME – The coastal community of Scarborough, Maine, is navigating a profound and collective grief following the death of retired Police Chief Robert Moulton, who passed away over the weekend. His loss has sent ripples through the town’s police department, local government, and the countless families who felt safer and more connected because of his decades of dedicated service. Robert Moulton was more than a title or a position; he was a steady, reassuring presence in a community he devoted much of his life to protecting. And now, as the shock of his passing settles into sorrow, those who knew him are left with something far more lasting than grief: a legacy of integrity, quiet strength, and unwavering commitment to the well-being of others.

The news of Chief Moulton’s death was confirmed by the Scarborough Police Department in an official statement released early Monday morning. While the department did not disclose the specific cause of death out of respect for the family’s privacy, it noted that Moulton had been in declining health in recent months following a brief illness. He was surrounded by family at the time of his passing.

A Life of Service Begins

Robert “Bob” Moulton was born in Portland, Maine, in 1956, the eldest of three children. His family moved to Scarborough when he was a young boy, and it was there that he developed the deep roots that would define his life. He attended Scarborough High School, where classmates remember him as serious-minded but approachable—a student who was respected rather than merely popular.

After graduating, Moulton briefly considered a career in teaching but felt drawn toward public safety. He enrolled in the Maine Criminal Justice Academy and joined the Scarborough Police Department as a patrol officer in 1978. It was the beginning of a 38-year career that would see him rise through every rank and ultimately lead the department he loved.

Those early years shaped Moulton’s philosophy of policing. He walked a beat when walking a beat meant knowing every shopkeeper on Route 1 and every family in the neighborhoods off Payne Road. He responded to domestic disputes, car accidents, and noise complaints, learning that most calls for service required not just legal authority but human compassion.

“Bob never forgot where he came from,” said Frank Delaney, a retired Scarborough officer who worked alongside Moulton for twenty years. “He was a patrolman at heart, even when he was chief. He understood that the badge doesn’t make you better than anyone else; it just means you have a responsibility to be better for everyone else.”

Rising Through the Ranks

Over the next two decades, Moulton steadily advanced through the department. He was promoted to sergeant in 1987, lieutenant in 1995, and deputy chief in 2002. In each role, he built a reputation for fairness, consistency, and an almost uncanny ability to remain calm under pressure.

Moulton was known for listening carefully before making decisions, valuing input from officers at every level. He held regular “coffee with the chief” sessions long before they became a community policing trend. He believed that trust was built in small moments—a conversation at the grocery store, a returned wave from a patrol car, a willing ear at a town meeting.

In 2008, Moulton was appointed Chief of the Scarborough Police Department, a role he would hold for eight years until his retirement in 2016. As chief, he faced the complex challenges of modern policing: balancing budget constraints, adopting new technologies, addressing concerns about use of force, and maintaining community trust in an era of increasing national scrutiny of law enforcement.

Leadership During Challenging Times

Chief Moulton’s tenure coincided with a period of significant growth for Scarborough. New housing developments brought an influx of residents. Commercial corridors expanded. The town’s population swelled, and with it, the demands on the police department.

Moulton responded by modernizing the department while preserving its small-town character. He implemented new training protocols, expanded the use of body-worn cameras (a decision he made proactively, before state mandates), and established the department’s first mental health crisis intervention team. He was particularly proud of the department’s partnership with Spurwink Mental Health Services, which embedded a clinician with patrol officers to respond to mental health emergencies.

“He understood that policing had to evolve,” said current Scarborough Police Chief Timothy Barker, who served as a captain under Moulton. “The days of just arresting your way out of a problem were over. Chief Moulton saw that we needed to be social workers, crisis counselors, and community partners—not just law enforcers. He pushed us to be better, and he led by example.”

Under Moulton’s leadership, the Scarborough Police Department also launched several community engagement initiatives, including a Citizens Police Academy, a junior police academy for local youth, and a volunteer chaplain program. He believed that strong relationships between officers and residents were the most effective crime prevention tool available.

The Chief Who Never Forgot the Small Moments

While Chief Moulton oversaw budgets, policies, and personnel, those who knew him best remember the small moments. He personally delivered Thanksgiving turkeys to struggling families. He showed up at the hospital when an officer’s child was born. He wrote handwritten condolence notes to the families of residents who passed away—even those he had arrested years earlier.

“Chief Moulton taught me that leadership is about presence,” said Sergeant Lisa Harmon, who was promoted to sergeant during Moulton’s final year as chief. “He would show up at 2 a.m. to a crime scene not because he needed to micromanage, but because he wanted his officers to know they weren’t alone. He made us feel supported. And that support made us better at our jobs.”

Residents, too, remember the chief’s accessibility. “I called the police station once about a noise complaint,” recalled Margaret Chen, a longtime Scarborough resident. “I didn’t expect the chief to call me back personally. But he did. He apologized for the delay, explained what steps they were taking, and thanked me for being patient. I was stunned. That’s the kind of leader he was.”

Retirement and Legacy

Chief Robert Moulton retired from the Scarborough Police Department in 2016, handing the reins to Chief Timothy Barker in a ceremony that drew officers from across the state. In his farewell address, Moulton spoke not of statistics or policies, but of people.

“This job has never been about me,” he said. “It’s about the officers who suit up every day, the families who support them, and the residents who trust us. If I’ve done anything right, it’s because I’ve been surrounded by the right people. I leave with gratitude, not regret.”

After retirement, Moulton remained active in the community. He volunteered with the Scarborough Land Trust, served on the town’s public safety advisory board, and could often be found fishing off Pine Point or walking the trails at Scarborough Marsh. He also spent more time with his family, especially his grandchildren, whom he adored.

Friends say that Moulton never fully left the department behind. He kept in touch with former colleagues, attended retirement parties, and was known to drive by the station just to “see if everything looked okay.” Policing was not a job for Moulton; it was a calling.

The Weekend News

The news of Chief Moulton’s death spread quickly through Scarborough and beyond. The Scarborough Police Department announced his passing in a brief, somber statement released on Monday morning:

“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we announce the passing of retired Chief Robert Moulton, who served this department and this community with unwavering honor, integrity, and dedication for 38 years. Chief Moulton was a mentor to countless officers, a trusted leader, and a friend to all who had the privilege of knowing him. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Moulton family during this difficult time. Please keep them in your hearts.”

The department also announced that flags would be flown at half-staff at all town buildings for one week. Officers will wear a black mourning band over their badges until after Chief Moulton’s funeral.

Community Response and Tributes

An outpouring of tributes has followed the announcement. The Scarborough Town Council issued a resolution of condolence, and Maine Governor Janet Mills released a statement praising Moulton as “a model of principled, compassionate law enforcement.”

The Maine Chiefs of Police Association also paid tribute, noting that Moulton had served as its president in 2014 and had been a vocal advocate for officer wellness and mental health support. “He understood that protecting those who protect us is one of our highest duties,” the association’s statement read.

On social media, current and former residents shared memories. One Facebook post, shared hundreds of times, read: “Chief Moulton pulled me over when I was 17 for speeding. He could have given me a ticket that would have raised my insurance for years. Instead, he talked to me about responsibility, called my parents, and gave me a warning. That conversation changed the way I drive—and the way I think about police. Thank you, Chief. Rest easy.”

Another, from a former officer, said simply: “He was the best chief I ever served under. He taught me that you can be strong and kind at the same time. I’ll spend the rest of my career trying to be half the man he was.”

Funeral Arrangements

A public memorial service for Chief Robert Moulton will be held on Saturday, June 7, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Scarborough High School Auditorium, located at 11 Municipal Drive, Scarborough, ME 04074. The service will be open to all community members, and a law enforcement procession is expected to include departments from across Maine and New Hampshire.

A private burial will follow at Black Point Cemetery in Scarborough, with full police honors. In lieu of flowers, the Moulton family has requested donations be made to the Scarborough Police Benevolent Association or to the Maine Law Enforcement Memorial, which honors fallen and deceased officers.

The family also requested that those wishing to honor Chief Moulton perform an act of kindness for a neighbor or a stranger—a gesture that, they said, would embody the spirit of service that defined his life.

A Legacy That Continues

Robert Moulton is survived by his devoted wife of forty-three years, Catherine “Cathy” Moulton; his daughters, Emily Moulton-Campbell and Sarah Moulton; his son, Andrew Moulton; five grandchildren; and a community that will remember him not only as a former police chief, but as a dedicated public servant who committed himself fully to the well-being of others.

His name will remain part of Scarborough’s history, woven into the fabric of a town that grew safer, stronger, and more connected under his watch. The values he instilled—integrity, compassion, fairness, and courage—continue to echo in the lives of the officers he mentored, the residents he protected, and the colleagues who called him a friend.

In loving memory of Chief Robert Moulton—honored, respected, and remembered with profound gratitude by the community he served so well for so long.