Fryeburg Police Department, Maine
End of Watch: Tuesday, June 6, 2017
Age: 20
Tour of Duty: 3 months
Badge Number: Not available
Cause of Death: Boating accident
Date of Incident: May 27, 2017
Weapon Used: Not available
Suspect Info: Not available
Police Officer Nathan Desjardins succumbed to injuries sustained on May 27th, 2017, in a boating accident on the Saco River.
He was participating in his first day of water rescue training when he and his training officer were dispatched to assist with the rescue of three boaters who had been thrown overboard when their canoes capsized. One of the missing boaters drowned during the incident.
Officer Desjardins' patrol boat struck a submerged object in the water as it came around a bend in the river. Both officers were thrown overboard and Officer Desjardins suffered a severe head injury.
Both officers were flown to Central Maine Medical Center where Officer Desjardins remained in a coma until succumbing to his injuries on June 6th, 2017.
Officer Desjardins served as a part-time officer with the Fryeburg Police Department for three months and was a full-time student at the University of New England. He is survived by his parents and brother.
In October 2018, Fryeburg's Canal Bridge was renamed Officer Nathan Michael Desjardins Memorial Bridge.