Auburn Names Crowell as Assistant City Manager

  • August 07, 2018

City Manager Peter Crichton is pleased to announce that Police Chief Phillip L. Crowell, Jr. has been appointed as the Assistant City Manager for the City of Auburn. “Phil has served his community for 25 years as a police officer and the last 12 years as Chief of Police. I have enjoyed getting to know Phil and working with him and I have seen the outstanding leadership qualities that he epitomizes. I am looking forward to working with Phil in his new capacity. The opportunity that we all have to accomplish great things as a team is greater than ever.”

Crowell is a lifelong resident of Auburn, Maine. He began his law enforcement career in 1986, during his service as a military police officer in the U.S. Army. He joined the Auburn Police Department as a Patrol Officer in 1993. He served as a Patrol Officer, School Resource Officer, Detective, and Deputy Chief. In 2006, he was promoted to Chief of Police.

Crowell has been responsible for many initiatives which have ranked the Auburn Police Department among the best in the State. Some examples include starting Auburn’s Citizens Police Academy, the first Somali Citizens Police Academy and the first Youth Court for the State of Maine. In November 2007, the APD became one of only two accredited agencies in the state. In November 2013, the APD was the first law enforcement agency in the state to participate in the Gold Standard accreditation process.

Crowell has served on numerous local and state board affiliations which include: President of the Auburn Police Activities League, Promise Early Education Center board member, and Past President of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association. He is a Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) Assessor and Team Leader and an instructor at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.

He is actively involved with human trafficking initiatives locally and internationally, serving as a board member on the Foundation for Hope and Grace, Co-Founder of the Not Here - Justice in Action Network, and a member of the Maine Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Task Force.

He has received numerous awards recognizing his efforts to enhance law enforcement efforts which include: “Officer of the Year” by the National Exchange Club; the City of Auburn’s “Vision Award;” the “Excellence in Aging Award” by the Maine Association of Area Agencies on Aging for his efforts in implementing a Silver Alert System in the State of Maine; 2014 “Champion for Maine Children” Award; and the “Public Leadership Award” by the Androscoggin Chamber of Commerce. In 2017, he was named “Chief of the Year” by the Maine Chiefs of Police Association for his outstanding law enforcement leadership.

Chief Crowell is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Session 218 and earned a BS degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Maine Augusta. He lives in Auburn with his wife and two children.

“Not only will Phil Crowell be ‘ready to roll’ on day one of this position in City leadership, but I know he will continue to be a role model for youth in our community, showing how far hard work and dedication can take you in life,” said Auburn Mayor Jason Levesque. “Crowell has built a team of leaders at Auburn PD. His legacy of strong leadership and team-building has positioned our police department as one of the most effective law enforcement agencies in the state. I’m excited to work with our new Assistant City Manager to move Auburn forward into the next 150 years!”

Crichton has named Deputy Chief Jason Moen as Interim Chief of Police. Moen has served the City for over 23 years as a police officer, with the last 12 years as Deputy Chief. “I am confident that Jason will continue the legacy of strong leadership of the police department, and that the transition will be seamless. I have complete confidence in him and our police department is in excellent hands with Moen at the helm,” said Crichton.

Crowell will begin his new position in the City Manager’s Office on Monday, August 20. Moen’s assignment as Interim Chief will also be effective August 20.