LEWISTON, Maine — Lewiston Police Chief David St. Pierre says shootings and crime rates are down in the city compared to recent years, but crime involving young people ages 10 to 19 is increasing.
St. Pierre provided data from the FBI's Uniform Crime Data Report to city counselors during a special workshop meeting Tuesday night. The report shows violent crime offenders ages 10 to 19 increased by 93% between 2012 and 2022 across the country, and Lewiston is experiencing a similar trend.
The police department and city officials have held press conferences and attended community meetings in recent weeks to workshop possible solutions. During Tuesday night's meeting, St. Pierre said he is in the process of securing federal funding to help combat youth and gang violence.
The department is also looking to increase foot and cruiser patrols around the city, as well as "exploring" a new camera system to install at strategic locations around the city.
Residents who spoke at Tuesday's meeting shared that more policing may not be the best answer. Rather, utilizing resources to make sure people have access to basic needs could be a solution.
St. Pierre told NEWS CENTER Maine that building trust within the community can hopefully help Lewiston "get to a better place".
"Because, without the public's cooperation, we're really pretty ineffective, no matter what we do or however many officers we have out there," he added.
The department and other city officials held five community meetings in July to hear from residents about their concerns about gun violence. Lewiston Public Schools Superintendent Jake Langlais told NEWS CENTER Maine that the district is also working with police to keep schools safe.
There was another community meeting planned for Wednesday night, but due to Lewiston High School's open house event, that meeting will be rescheduled so more residents can attend, according to a news release from the city. The plan, the release stated, is to host that meeting next week.