As a result of the roles that Ellsworth plays in the county, the Police Department is responsible to serve the 6500-plus year round residents, summer residents and the many visitors to this area. As gateway to the Acadia National Park-Bar Harbor region, thousands of cars pass through Ellsworth every day bringing with them an extensive range of challenges on police services.

The Police Department is also challenged by the fact that Ellsworth encompasses approximately 95 square miles, making it the largest city, area-wise, in the State of Maine. Within the city limits are three major lakes, a tidal river and several other bodies of water. Living on the water, and in many cases year round, bring with it additional duties of patrolling numerous camp roads.

The urban area of Ellsworth is located in the southeast corner of the city. A considerable amount of our calls for service arise from this area, resulting in a reduced amount of patrol coverage for the rural areas.