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Bethel residents worry about towns' safety

Residents of the Oxford County town voted over a decade ago to disband their police force, but now some are wondering if that was the right choice.

BETHEL, Maine — Residents of Bethel voted over a decade ago to disband their police force, but now some residents are wondering if that was the right choice.

Recently, John Stewart, who has lived in Bethel for 25 years, found hypodermic needles all over his front yard and on the side of the road.

He said this is the first time he's experienced something like this, and it's a big concern if there aren't enough resources to deal with it.

Stewart said residents of Bethel refer to the Oxford County Sheriff's Department when needed since the town got rid of its police department in 2010. 

Finding the right resources is becoming increasingly difficult, and there aren't enough to go around. 

"The accessibility of treatment in the state is spread so thin, especially in the Bethel area," Steve Danzig, the executive director of ENSO Recovery, said.

"I was given direction to get rid of them [the needles] if they look like they have been used, of course, they have all been used, and discarding them means you have to find a hospital or somewhere to take those hazardous materials," Stewart said, expressing his concern and frustration.

"We're having Easter egg hunts, spring is coming, kids are out playing, and here I have needles in my yard," Stewart added. 

Danzig said he sees these issues every day in jails across the state. 

"It won't get better, and as a person who works in this field, [it] is disheartening to say that," Danzig said.  

Now, over a decade later, community members are wondering if it's time to bring back local law enforcement.

Stewart reflected on the decision to disband the police department.

"A wise decision 13 years ago, maybe, when the crime and the epidemic of what we're dealing with now wasn't as bad as it is now, and now with this town and with everything growing, I think we should bring our police department back," Stewart said.

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