Maine Department of Public Safety nominates new leaders for state’s Drug Enforcement Agency, fire marshal

The Department of Public Safety is nominating the assistant fire marshal to lead the agency and tapping the Maine Criminal Justice Academy director to lead the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency.

Rick Desjardins will serve as the next MDEA director and Rich McCarthy will serve as fire marshal if his nomination is confirmed, Commissioner Michael Sauschuck announced Wednesday.

McCarthy would succeed Fire Marshal Joseph Thomas, who retired in December, if his nomination is approved by the Legislature’s Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee and confirmed by the Maine Senate.

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Desjardins. meanwhile, would take over the MDEA after the December retirement of Roy McKinney.

McCarthy is a 22-year veteran of the fire marshal’s office and served 15 years as a volunteer firefighter. Desjardins spent 23 years with the Brunswick Police Department before his work at the academy.