By Jason Starr
The Colchester Sun

Stuart Marceau said goodbye to his position as Colchester’s school resource officer last spring. Now he’s saying goodbye to the police department after 30 years.

A native of Colchester, Marceau said he’s reached an age where police work no longer seems a good fit. At 55, he’s moving onto full-time work with a private investigator company in Williston.

A party is planned Feb. 10, two days before his last day.

“Change is healthy,” Marceau said. “It’s harder to chase the kids around. It’s harder to do the police work. It was time to do something different, and it’s a good time to do it.”

He continued: “I’m feeling a little melancholy about it. I really do like the people I work with. I like the town. I’m a hometown boy. I don’t have any doubts about leaving the position, but I know I’m going to miss the people. It’s been a big part of my life. I’ve been a police officer since I was 21 years old.”

His new employer is called United States Investigative Service. It contracts with the federal government on things like personal background checks. His will be much more of a desk-and-computer job than police and school resource officer. He said he’s looking forward to working in civilian clothes, always having weekends and holidays off and not working overtime.

He also said the police department will benefit from filling his spot with a younger officer.

For 15 years, Marceau was the police department’s main liaison to the schools, dealing with truancy, helping out in drivers’ education and substance abuse programs, ensuring the security of the schools and counseling students.

At the start of this school year in August, veteran Colchester police officer Peter Hull took over the school resource officer job. One of Hull’s best attributes for the job is that he wants to work in the schools, Marceau said.

“It’s important to want to be there and not just go over there as a job because really, you are ‘on’ all the time,” said Marceau. “Interaction is the important piece.”

Hull knew at the end of last school year that he would be taking over the position in the fall. He worked with Marceau – and continues to – on the transition. High School Principal Amy Minor toured the campus with Hull in August to bolster his preparation.

“It’s been a really smooth transition,” Minor said. “I think that’s because we have such a strong relationship with the police department. We had such a strong relationship with Stu, and Stu had a strong relationship with Pete, so all the players knew each other really well.

“It’s been great,” she added. “He has a wonderful demeanor with our students. He’s already a part of our school community.”