Skowhegan-Madison Elks Lodge 2531 recently held an appreciation dinner and award ceremony for all Emergency Service Personnel (Police, Fire, EMS), according to a news release from the Lodge.

Skowhegan Police Department School Resource Officer Dave Daigneault was named Officer of the Year.

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Chief Ted Blais, left, presents and Officer Dave Daigneault with the Officer of the Year Award. Contributed photo

Daigneault grew up in Lyman with his parents and four siblings. He was an Eagle Scout-Troop 399, received an associate degree in law enforcement technology from Southern Maine Technical College in 1994 and joined the Air Force in 1997.

In the Air Force, he was also attached to a deployment flight as an M249 Gunner (saw) where he was deployed to Qatar during Operation Desert Fox and Desert Thunder. Daigneault was deployed in Saudi Arabia-Prince Sultan Air Base for four months as Security Policeman and received an Accommodation Medal and an Honorable Discharge for the United States Air Force after four years of active duty.

He moved to Skowhegan after exiting from the Air Force and was hired by Skowhegan Police in 2001.

Daigneault became certified as a DARE Officer where he taught this program throughout School Administrative District 54 schools in Canaan, Cornville, Skowhegan, Smithfield, Norridgewock for two years. He became certified as School Resource Officer in 2003 and has been in that role since.

He has attended Camp Postcard (Police Officer’s Striving to Create and Reinforce Dreams) for the past 12 years where he mentor fifth- and sixth-grade children who have been referred to camp for numerous reasons.

Daigneault has volunteered as a Cub Scout Leader and Boy Scout Leader for Pack 403/Troop 403 out of Canaan-Cornville for the past 10 years. He held positions as Cub Master, Den Leader, Scout Master and Assistant Scoutmaster. Currently, his two sons are still participating in the Boy Scout Program.