Jim Durant remembered
Jim Durant remembered
Police volunteer fatally injured while directing traffic
By Lucas Knowles
Editor
Last Thursday, Jim Durant was lending a hand in his role as a volunteer for the Scarborough Police Department. He was helping to direct traffic due to an accident – a task that came to a tragic end.
Durant, 67, a Scarborough resident and a member of the Scarborough VIPS (Volunteers in Police Service), was hit by a vehicle while directing traffic at the intersection of Gorham Road and Running Hill Road. He died from his injuries a day after the incident.
On that evening, Durant had been patrolling parking lots with another VIPS member. When the call came in that an accident had occurred near his location, Durant volunteered to help direct traffic until more officers arrived.
Elizabeth Coughlin, 54, struck Durant while trying to make a left turn onto Gorham Road from Running Hill Road. She was driving a 2005 Mitsubishi Gallant and said she did not see Durant, who was wearing a reflective vest and was carrying a flashlight.
Scarborough Police Chief Robbie Moulton said his department has filed the necessary reports and sent them to the district attorney’s office, which will make any decision on whether charges will be filed against Coughlin. Moulton said even though the district attorney’s office would have the final say, he saw nothing that indicated more than “a very tragic accident.”
VIPS is a program affiliated with the USA Freedom Corps and gives people the chance to volunteer with their local law enforcement agency Duties that VIPS Volunteers perform three areas of duties – public safety patrol, community outreach and administrative duties.
VIPS members engage in 16 to 20 hours of training, on subjects like radio communication, traffic control, crime scene investigation, policies and procedures, child identification and CPR/first aid.
Training offered to Scarborough VIPS members has included first aid/CPR, traffic control/direction training, dispatch training, driver training, policies and procedures, child identification and other training.
Durant was one of the first applicants and graduates in the Scarborough VIPS program.
Scarborough VIPS coordinator Tammy Keimach described Durant as “amazing.”
“He was somebody that when he left you, he left an image or an impact in your mind,” Keimach said. “He was extremely energetic, positive and spoke his mind.”
Keimach said Durant was “proactive in the community” and was “instrumental in the VIPS program.” Of all the Scarborough VIPS members, Keimach said Durant had the most training in traffic detail.
Both Moulton and Keimach described Durant’s family as “very strong.”
“Anybody who knows the family wants to have a family like them,” Keimach said. “Their strength, love and comfort in their faith is astounding.”
Keimach said this tragic event has caused the Scarborough VIPS program to reevaluate its organization, but said “there are risks in anything when you are talking about the public safety field.”
Durant was a Vietnam War veteran and was retired from working for the Federal Aviation Administration. In addition to being a member of the Scarborough VIPS, he also worked as a part-time security employee for L.L. Bean.
Durant’s funeral was held this past Tuesday at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church. The Scarborough Police Department honored Durant like he was one of their own, complete with an honor guard, bagpipes and a police procession. A flag was also presented to Durant’s family.
In lieu of flowers, the Durant family is asking that members of the public give to either St. Maximilian Kolbe Church or to the Scarborough VIPS program. Members of the VIPS have decided that any money their organization receives will be used for a Jim Durant Scholarship Fund.
Police volunteer fatally injured while directing traffic
By Lucas Knowles
Editor
Last Thursday, Jim Durant was lending a hand in his role as a volunteer for the Scarborough Police Department. He was helping to direct traffic due to an accident – a task that came to a tragic end.
Durant, 67, a Scarborough resident and a member of the Scarborough VIPS (Volunteers in Police Service), was hit by a vehicle while directing traffic at the intersection of Gorham Road and Running Hill Road. He died from his injuries a day after the incident.
On that evening, Durant had been patrolling parking lots with another VIPS member. When the call came in that an accident had occurred near his location, Durant volunteered to help direct traffic until more officers arrived.
Elizabeth Coughlin, 54, struck Durant while trying to make a left turn onto Gorham Road from Running Hill Road. She was driving a 2005 Mitsubishi Gallant and said she did not see Durant, who was wearing a reflective vest and was carrying a flashlight.
Scarborough Police Chief Robbie Moulton said his department has filed the necessary reports and sent them to the district attorney’s office, which will make any decision on whether charges will be filed against Coughlin. Moulton said even though the district attorney’s office would have the final say, he saw nothing that indicated more than “a very tragic accident.”
VIPS is a program affiliated with the USA Freedom Corps and gives people the chance to volunteer with their local law enforcement agency Duties that VIPS Volunteers perform three areas of duties – public safety patrol, community outreach and administrative duties.
VIPS members engage in 16 to 20 hours of training, on subjects like radio communication, traffic control, crime scene investigation, policies and procedures, child identification and CPR/first aid.
Training offered to Scarborough VIPS members has included first aid/CPR, traffic control/direction training, dispatch training, driver training, policies and procedures, child identification and other training.
Durant was one of the first applicants and graduates in the Scarborough VIPS program.
Scarborough VIPS coordinator Tammy Keimach described Durant as “amazing.”
“He was somebody that when he left you, he left an image or an impact in your mind,” Keimach said. “He was extremely energetic, positive and spoke his mind.”
Keimach said Durant was “proactive in the community” and was “instrumental in the VIPS program.” Of all the Scarborough VIPS members, Keimach said Durant had the most training in traffic detail.
Both Moulton and Keimach described Durant’s family as “very strong.”
“Anybody who knows the family wants to have a family like them,” Keimach said. “Their strength, love and comfort in their faith is astounding.”
Keimach said this tragic event has caused the Scarborough VIPS program to reevaluate its organization, but said “there are risks in anything when you are talking about the public safety field.”
Durant was a Vietnam War veteran and was retired from working for the Federal Aviation Administration. In addition to being a member of the Scarborough VIPS, he also worked as a part-time security employee for L.L. Bean.
Durant’s funeral was held this past Tuesday at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church. The Scarborough Police Department honored Durant like he was one of their own, complete with an honor guard, bagpipes and a police procession. A flag was also presented to Durant’s family.
In lieu of flowers, the Durant family is asking that members of the public give to either St. Maximilian Kolbe Church or to the Scarborough VIPS program. Members of the VIPS have decided that any money their organization receives will be used for a Jim Durant Scholarship Fund.
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