LEWISTON — Nearly two months after Lewiston police outlined a plan for combatting increased gun violence in the city, officials say they are making good on their promises. But it may be too early to tell if the effort is producing results.

When police unveiled a multipronged approach to addressing gun violence during an Aug. 29 press conference, there had so far been 25 confirmed shooting incidents in 2024, with two people receiving gunshot wounds and one person killed. As of Oct. 15, that number is up to 29, along with another person wounded, but is still well under the average in recent years.

“I am cautious to say that I believe many of our efforts have had positive results,” said Police Chief David St. Pierre regarding the recent data. “I want to also be clear that each and every one of these shooting-related incidents are extremely concerning to the police and the community. Even one is too many and unacceptable.”

Police say they are working as hard as ever to keep the community safe, and that they’ve been encouraged by the plan’s impact so far. There’s been recent momentum in the level of community engagement on the topic of gun violence, and so far, efforts visible to the public include a United States Marshals Service presence in the community and increased foot patrols, which police say together have maintained a larger police presence that is deterring crime.

Other long-term aspects of the plan, including changes to laws and the judicial system, remain in the early stages, and a full picture of their effects won’t likely be known for months. While organizations like Generational Noor, which provides services for immigrant families and young people to confront difficult issues, have hosted several community forums attended by police, it’s unclear to what level police are coordinating a larger communitywide discussion on the issue.

Lewiston Chief of Police David St. Pierre takes questions Aug. 29 at a news conference at Lewiston City Hall, where he outlined a plan that includes asking for support from the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, requesting help from the federal Office on Gun Violence Prevention, and installing cameras in the community. Behind him, from left, are Brian O’Malley, Lewiston’s acting city administrator, Jake Langlais, Lewiston Public Schools superintendent, and Rilwan Osman, director of Maine Immigration and Refugee Services. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

‘VITAL PLATFORM’

According to police Lt. Derrick St. Laurent, LPD has attended several stakeholder meetings and some 30 events through its community resource team since the Aug. 29 news conference, ranging from schools to local organizations, coalitions and social events.

He said officers regularly meet with Bates College students, New Mainer and refugee resettlement organizations, and assist with youth programs in the area.

St. Laurent said police make every effort to attend meetings they’re asked to, and will begin offering Citizens’ Police Academy through Lewiston Adult Education starting Nov. 12.

Police have continually expressed frustration with a lack of cooperation from witnesses, which severely delays investigations. The plan outlined in August also promised more support for community conversations, a partnership between police and the school department to host “parent informational sessions,” and informal monthly meetings with organizations that work with youth and New Mainers to build trust.

While police didn’t respond directly to questions about whether those specific aspects of the plan have occurred, St. Pierre told the Sun Journal that the Police Department is working with a conciliation specialist for community relations from the U.S. Department of Justice “to help bridge the gap in communication between police and citizens.”

“Some of that work entails breaking down cultural and linguistic barriers that often make witnesses and suspects unwilling to speak with police,” he said.

In September, Generational Noor hosted several community meetings and launched a new social media page in an attempt to maintain the momentum around community discussions, particularly with youth and parents.

The group recently created a Facebook page called the Lewiston Community Safety Forum, which is meant to serve as a hub for coordinating future meetings. The first post on the page in late September said there would be more meetings in the coming weeks and that “these gatherings will serve as a vital platform for young people and community members to share their experiences, fears, and hopes for a safer environment.”

“Together, we can explore current realities, discuss available resources, and develop actionable steps toward improving community safety,” the post said.

Attempts to reach Generational Noor to get updates on its collaboration with the Lewiston Police Department were unsuccessful this week.

‘CAN’T DO IT ALL BY THEMSELVES’

Other efforts among officials to discuss the gun violence issue had previously fizzled out. But, at least one appears to have life again.

In September of 2023, Mayor Carl Sheline established a mayoral advisory committee on community safety in the wake of gun violence incidents downtown, including a Knox Street shooting that left two dead.

However, the formation of the committee was politically charged from the start, and the committee hasn’t met for more than a year after pausing its work following the Oct. 25, 2023, mass shooting. In that time, the gun violence issue, particularly among youth, has only grown worse.

According to the mayoral order establishing the committee, its charge was to “make recommendations to municipal officials and key staff on policy, practice, and procedural changes regarding community safety,” and the committee was to present periodic updates and a full committee report no later than Sept. 30 of this year. However, that didn’t occur.

When asked, Sheline said he had planned to restart the committee’s work much earlier this year, and while there have been “a number of extenuating circumstances” playing a role in the delay, including changes in top city positions, he said, “the blame for the delay is mine.”

Sheline said he has been meeting with committee co-Chairperson Abdikadir Negeye regularly and that the pair will provide an update soon.

When asked what the committee’s role might be in the city’s overall effort to reduce violence, Sheline said it’s another way to bring people together, build trust and work on shared initiatives and goals.

“If we’re going to make progress on reducing crime and violence in Lewiston we need to work together,” he said. “The police can’t do it all by themselves and the community can’t do it all by themselves.”

POLICE PRESENCE

Part of the city’s more visible police presence has been increased foot patrols, with LPD dedicating 50-60 hours per week toward five or six foot patrols by two officers during statistically busy hours, St. Laurent said.

The Community Resource Team, comprised of Sgt. Desiree Michaud and officers Kayden Tozier and Ryan Gagnon, are in addition to regular beat patrol officers, and usually work after or before their scheduled workday.

St. Laurent said the officers “self-initiate” calls and document all activity, which often includes property site checks, community contact and “community events they may encounter” like youth games, business stop-ins and unhoused encounters.

“Some days can be more challenging to fill than others, but our staff have been working these details as needed,” St. Laurent said.

Also brought in recently were officers from the U.S. Marshals Service, which St. Laurent said have been assisting local police with “numerous investigations and fugitive apprehensions.” St. Laurent said.

The Marshals’ focus is on arresting wanted suspects, many of whom originate from out-of-state, but they also assist with scene security, prisoner transports and intelligence for ongoing investigations.

St. Laurent said surveillance equipment is more a long-game plan with everything that the department needs to consider, like funding, putting out bids and making sure software is compatible with existing systems. However, vendors have held demonstrations on several different products, he said.

“One of the greatest partnerships we have made is with several local landlords who have granted us access to their surveillance cameras,” St. Laurent said, adding that police can immediately log into surveillance systems and begin reviewing footage after a crime has been committed.

“This allows us to attain information immediately, where in the past we would have to wait (and) meet the camera owner to download the footage,” St. Laurent continued. “We have gained access to dozens of cameras and only hope to grow our partnership with these stakeholders.”

Another aspect of the department’s plan was to initiate talks between the district attorney’s office and Lewiston’s legislative delegation to address the judicial system’s current lack of resources.

St. Pierre said in a Wednesday phone call that talks with local legislators started out as venting frustration with how the criminal justice system has essentially made policework a revolving door.

However, discussions with legislators have also opened minds to possible law changes, namely relaxing laws that have made communication between police and the schools difficult. Current laws do not allow police to divulge information identifying students who need intervention or a watchful eye. St. Pierre also said legislators are beginning to understand that judicial reform is necessary, as underpaid district attorney staff cannot draw more prosecutors to move court cases through the system.

“At the end of the day, I’m just a police chief,” St. Pierre said. “I’m not a magician … but I know that we don’t want to arrest our way out of a problem.”