FARMINGTON — Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and Quebec Provincial Police stationed at Lac Megantic are taking part in an officer-exchange program that will begin Monday.

Quebec Provincial Police officer Pierre Gagnon was expected to arrive in Farmington on Sunday, Franklin County Sheriff Lt. Niles Yeaton said Friday.

Last year, members of each law enforcement agency got together and discussed having an officer-exchange program. The idea is that Quebec police get to know how the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and other U.S. law enforcement agencies do their duties and in return, deputies will learn how law enforcement is handled in Canada.

Quebec Provincial Lt. Daniel Campagna had done an exchange program with Belgium, which led to the idea of doing one with Maine, Yeaton said. The two agencies decided to put a program together.

Canada, Maine and U.S. agencies already work together on border issues.

Campagna requested that his department have two officers come to Franklin County prior to March 31 because of budget constraints, Yeaton said. Following them, two Franklin County deputies will go to Quebec.

Yeaton said part of the requirements to be part of the exchange are: having an interest in an exceptional experience; being a leader within the department; having an open mind to different methods of policing; and knowing how to do a detailed report of the experience and internship.

“Another part is they must be actively involved in building a strong and lasting partnership between Franklin County Sheriff’s Department and the Quebec Provincial Police,” he said.

The Quebec officer also has to be able to speak English pretty well.

Gagnon will be the first Canadian officer to arrive. He will spend Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and most of Thursday, Yeaton said.

The plan is for the exchange officer to go on a ride-along with a deputy on patrol. They also plan to take Gagnon to the Maine State Legislature, Maine State Police Crime Laboratory and the Maine Criminal Justice Academy. He will also be introduced to local police and other law enforcement agencies and hopefully get to see a court session in Farmington. He will also see how evidence and storage is handled in the Sheriff’s Department.

Quebec Provincial Police Sgt. Andre Marquis will arrive in Maine for the exchange during the week of March 12.

Franklin County Sheriff’s Deputy Tom White will head to Quebec to see that country’s law enforcement techniques before the end of March. A second deputy, who has not been named, will go to Quebec after him.

“The overall goal is to discuss and learn best practices of law enforcement for each agency,” Yeaton said. “There may be some things that we may do better and there may be some things they do better. Basically it is a learning tool.”

dperry@sunjournal.com