Michael Pulire — Instructor Profile

About Michael Pulire

Mike began his career as a reserve police officer in Ogunquit while attending the University of Maine. He served full time with the Gardiner and York, Maine PDs in the 1970s having graduated in the 29th MCJA Basic School in 1978.

Mike directed his career next as a licensed private detective in Maine & NH conducting loss investigations for the insurance industry. Mike was employed by a number of investigative contractor firms and served in supervisory and management positions as well. In this venue Mike cut his teeth investigating a wide array of tort claims from wrongful death to product’s liability to USC 42 1983 actions.

In 1989 Mike was recruited into the elite detective squad at the Maine Attorney General’s Office under Chief of Investigations Brian MacMaster. Mike spent the next 33 years as the point of the investigative spear for the chief legal authority in Maine. In those years Mike was assigned to complex and high-profile matters including service often times as the primary investigator in scores of officer involved deadly force events.

In 2005 Mike was a founding member of the Maine State Law Enforcement Association, the recognized collective bargaining agent for some 400 state law enforcement officers. Mike also served as the first MSLEA president where he gained great experience in public service labor law and where he championed the rights and protections of the MSLEA membership.

Mike retired from state service in 2022. He was appointed by Gov. Janet Mills to a stakeholder group tasked with addressing recruitment, retention and wellness of Maine law enforcement. That group delivered a groundbreaking report to the Maine Legislature in 2025 who voted to accept the findings and recommendations. A native of southern Maine, Mike lives in Scarborough.