The city of Biddeford says its citizens deserve answers concerning allegations that two former Biddeford police officers sexually abused teenage boys decades ago.
Biddeford Mayor Alan Casavant issued a news release Thursday announcing that he has asked Sen. David Dutremble, D-Biddeford, to introduce emergency legislation that would loosen restrictions around a state law that prevents public officials from discussing active criminal investigations.
City officials are also asking Dutremble to file emergency legislation that would ban registered sex offenders from living within 750 feet of any municipally-owned park, playground or athletic field in the state.
“Given the extraordinary nature of the present situation, we suggest that the emergency designation is entirely appropriate, and we will ask your legislative leaders to give every consideration to allowing you to file legislation under that designation,” Casavant said in a May 7 letter that he sent to Dutremble.
Boston businessman and former Biddeford resident, 30-year-old Matthew Lauzon, first raised the allegations against former police officer Stephen Dodd on social media. Since then, more victims have come forward. Lauzon and other alleged victims are calling for the city to suspend long time Biddeford Police Chief Roger Beaupre during an investigation into the abuse allegations by the Maine Attorney General’s Office.
A regularly scheduled City Council meeting “erupted into chaos” on Tuesday night during a public comment section of the meeting. Several speakers alleged sexual abuse at the hands of two Biddeford police officers, and charged that the city and Maine Attorney General’s Office are not conducting a thorough investigation of the alleged abuse.
“There’s a lot of frustration,” Dutremble told the Portland Press Herald on Tuesday night. “The entire city is talking about it, but a lot of them don’t want to talk about it publicly. In private conversation they will ask me about it. They are very frustrated by the lack of answers.”
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