A Waldoboro Police officer was legally justified in the September shooting death of an 18-year-old, the Maine Attorney General’s Office found in a report released this afternoon.

Officer Zachary Curtis pulled over a car that was swerving on Route 220 in Waldoboro, around 2:15 a.m. on Sept. 23.

Gregori Jackson, 18, was a passenger in that car and was free on bail on a drunk driving charge. Curtis saw evidence that Jackson had been drinking alcohol – a violation of his bail conditions.

When Curtis attempted to place Jackson under arrest, a scuffle broke out, and Curtis eventually chased Jackson into the woods. Curtis told investigators that he shot Jackson following a struggle over the officer’s .40-caliber Glock handgun. Jackson,who grew up and lived in nearby Whitefield, was killed.

The shooting rattled the Waldoboro community and the larger Midcoast region, leading some residents to petition for the dissolution of the Waldoboro Police Department and the resignation of longtime town manager Lee Smith. Earlier this month, Smith announced his intent to retire at the end of the year. Carleton Johnson, chairman of the board of selectmen, also resigned this month.

The incident also raised questions about training for police officers in Maine.
Curtis, 24, graduated from the 100-hour law enforcement pre-service course but had not attended the full 18-week course at the state Criminal Justice Academy.

Despite his limited training, Curtis worked as a full-time officer for Waldoboro in 2006, apparently in violation of state law. He worked 1,970 hours that year, nearly twice the amount allowed.

Then in 2007, the Waldoboro Police Department requested and received a special extension from the state, allowing Curtis and another reserve officer to work full-time hours this year. That extension was due to expire on Sept. 30, a week after the shooting incident.

The Attorney General’s Office is required to investigate any case involving the use of deadly force by a police officer in Maine. To be justified, the officer must believe that unlawful deadly force is being used or threatened against the officer and that the use of deadly force is necessary to counter that.