PARIS — A town police officer has resigned two weeks into a training program at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy in Vassalboro, Chief Michael Madden said.

Timothy Libby, 44, informed the town of his decision to leave the department late Monday evening, Madden said. 

Libby’s decision to leave the department is not believed to have anything to do with the department or the town itself, Madden said, but he acknowledged it was “unexpected.”

“Although I can’t specifically comment on this situation, I do believe it was a personal decision more than anything else,” Madden said. “The department continues to move forward, and both short- and long-term plans have been made to deal with this vacancy.”

The department is on steadier ground in terms of personnel than it was when Madden he took the helm, and Libby’s resignation, while unfortunate, should not affect staffing, the chief said.

“If this happened four months ago, it would have been code red,” he said. 

Attempts to reach Libby on Tuesday afternoon were unsuccessful. 

Libby joined the department about a year and a half ago, following the resignation of a number of officers. He was the only officer in the department who had not completed law enforcement certification training at the MCJA. 

According to Madden, Libby’s departure came at a time when the town will not be billed by MCJA. 

Madden said the department would announce in the next few weeks the hiring of more reserve officers to fill the hole in the schedule because of Libby’s departure. 

The department has already conducted background checks on a few officers who currently work full time with other law enforcement agencies, Madden said. 

“This should complement our reserve force well, and we will be announcing our plans for additional full-time officers during the upcoming budget process,” he said.