By Ed Pierce
You may never need the help of Officer Mackenzie Conti, but if you do, she'll be there and that basic premise to serve and protect is what makes Conti and other members of the Windham Police Department unsung heroes in the community.
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| Mackenzie Conti joined the Windham Police Department in January 2023 and is now in her third year of service to the community as a patrol officer and an evidence technician. SUBMITTED PHOTO |
“My specific duties as a patrol officer at the Windham Police Department are observing traffic, furthering investigations, and documentation through report writing,” Conti said. “Patrol officers also typically respond to calls for service whether it be an emergency or answering questions from the community pertaining to laws or situations they’re experiencing.”
She joined the Windham Police in January 2023 and is entering her third year of service to Windham residents.
“As I furthered my career in law enforcement, I found an interest in becoming an evidence technician with the department,” Conti said. “That typically involves responding to calls for service and being equipped for collecting, documenting, and preserving evidence.”
According to Conti, one of the things she enjoys about the law enforcement profession is that no shift is the same as the last one and she’s able to accumulate more experience and understanding when it comes to assisting the public.
“I always aim to be the officer at a call for service that reflects the response I would want, if it were involving someone important to me,” she said. “You also get to learn something new every day, and I enjoy the ability to further my education and training through opportunities that the police department presents.”
The greatest challenge of her job is adapting her response to the changing needs of citizens in the community.
“Not only do we respond to calls that require us to enforce the law, sometimes we are required to take on roles of social work and crisis intervention,” Conti said. “It can be a tough balance when you arrive on scene for service, to provide stability or assistance, and the individuals involved may find your response alone to be an escalation.”
Originally from California, Conti spent most of her early life on the west coast.
“Following graduation, I moved to Maine and began working as a corrections officer at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham,” she said. “I spent a little over 3 1/2 years in this field, before I began my journey into becoming a police officer.”
She was interested in beginning her career as a police officer in Windham because there was such a strong sense of unity in this town, Conti said.
“The overall impression I received from this community, as well as from the staff and fellow officers at the Windham Police Department, was exactly what I was looking for and I was eager to be a part of the team,” she said.
Her most memorable moment so far while working as a Windham police officer began when she received a call during her shift about a phone scam.
“There was an elderly individual who was about to lose a large sum of money,” Conti said. “Through an expedited investigation, I was able to intercept the money before it disappeared and return it to the owner. That citizen came into the police station that week to thank me for my actions, and it has left a lasting impact on me ever since.”
Conti thinks the greatest misconception people may have is that law enforcement and the community are on opposite sides.
“Effective policing works in unison with our community,” she said. “Officers often rely on cooperation and trust with residents to keep our neighborhoods safe. Patrol officers spend a lot of time generating documentation and reports. For every incident, officers complete detailed reports that are essential for transparency, accountability, and the justice process. I appreciate this aspect of the job, as it is extremely important and pertains to longer investigations.”
She’s proud that her family stands behind her in her career in law enforcement and their encouragement and confidence in her work has allowed her to remain focused and motivated to take on greater challenges.
“I’ve learned that having resilience as a police officer is not something that you build all on your own,” Conti said. “It is about having the strength to show up with dedication as we continue moving forward as a team. Being a part of a police department is not an individual task, and to ensure overall effectiveness, it involves extensive trust, support, and teamwork. I’m very grateful for the fellow officers I get to work beside daily. <
The greatest challenge of her job is adapting her response to the changing needs of citizens in the community.
“Not only do we respond to calls that require us to enforce the law, sometimes we are required to take on roles of social work and crisis intervention,” Conti said. “It can be a tough balance when you arrive on scene for service, to provide stability or assistance, and the individuals involved may find your response alone to be an escalation.”
Originally from California, Conti spent most of her early life on the west coast.
“Following graduation, I moved to Maine and began working as a corrections officer at the Maine Correctional Center in Windham,” she said. “I spent a little over 3 1/2 years in this field, before I began my journey into becoming a police officer.”
She was interested in beginning her career as a police officer in Windham because there was such a strong sense of unity in this town, Conti said.
“The overall impression I received from this community, as well as from the staff and fellow officers at the Windham Police Department, was exactly what I was looking for and I was eager to be a part of the team,” she said.
Her most memorable moment so far while working as a Windham police officer began when she received a call during her shift about a phone scam.
“There was an elderly individual who was about to lose a large sum of money,” Conti said. “Through an expedited investigation, I was able to intercept the money before it disappeared and return it to the owner. That citizen came into the police station that week to thank me for my actions, and it has left a lasting impact on me ever since.”
Conti thinks the greatest misconception people may have is that law enforcement and the community are on opposite sides.
“Effective policing works in unison with our community,” she said. “Officers often rely on cooperation and trust with residents to keep our neighborhoods safe. Patrol officers spend a lot of time generating documentation and reports. For every incident, officers complete detailed reports that are essential for transparency, accountability, and the justice process. I appreciate this aspect of the job, as it is extremely important and pertains to longer investigations.”
She’s proud that her family stands behind her in her career in law enforcement and their encouragement and confidence in her work has allowed her to remain focused and motivated to take on greater challenges.
“I’ve learned that having resilience as a police officer is not something that you build all on your own,” Conti said. “It is about having the strength to show up with dedication as we continue moving forward as a team. Being a part of a police department is not an individual task, and to ensure overall effectiveness, it involves extensive trust, support, and teamwork. I’m very grateful for the fellow officers I get to work beside daily. <
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