The Town of Sanford built a lockup in Sanford and one in Springvale in 1883, but the first mention of any type of police was found in the following entry of the Town Report for the year ending February 23, 1888.
Further examination shows that burglars had been operating in the two towns mentioned.
Then, beginning in 1888, we find frequent references to payments of a similar nature, to include, eventually, days when a circus was in town. A full-time police force began in 1898. Each of them had a report in the annual Town Report. From that time forward there has always been a full-time police force. The number increased to a force of 3 in 1911, to 4 in 1921, to five in 1923, to 18 plus a Chief in 1968.