by Detective Paul Harmon

The Lewiston Police Department, founded in 1858, consisted of a three man force assigned to "night watch." Initially paid $1 a night, it was 1867 before uniforms and badges were provided. In 1873 a new police lockup was built and handcuffs and revolvers purchased. A mounted patrol was attempted in 1880, but later discarded. In 1891 a patrol wagon was proposed. A police telegraph, known as the "Gamewell System," was installed in 1894 allowing officers to "pull" a call box every 1/2 hour. Variations of the Gamewell System were used into the 1980's.

The department's first automobile was bought in 1915 or 1916. A second car and a motorcycle were bought in 1920. The L.P.D. acquired its own radio system in 1940; fingerprint and photography equipment were added by 1945. Parking meters were first installed in 1948, the same year which marked the establishment of the Detective Bureau.

The Lewiston Police Relief Association (L.P.R.A.) was established in 1949. Its goal was to assist members who were sick or disabled as well as to assist the families of deceased members. The Association is still active in providing these services today. It was the forerunner to a police union.

To improve its communications capabilities, the L.P.D. joined the state wide teletype system in 1962 and issued hand-held walkie talkies to its officers around 1970. The department also diversified in the early 1970's with the creation of a Narcotics Division and Youth Bureau in 1972 and the procurement of a polygraph machine and training of operators in 1973.

By the late 1970's Lewiston officers were attending the 12-week Basic Police School at the Maine Criminal Justice Academy (M.C.J.A.) at Waterville, administered by the Maine Department of Public Safety. All officers in Maine must now attend this school within six months of hire. Presently, Lewiston officers must complete the academy before being allowed to "work the street."

The 1980's brought many additional changes to the L.PD. The "cost effectiveness" of motorized patrol caused the "foot beats" to dwindle from four to one, which is now normally motorized.

The department changed its appearance in 1985 with the purchase of new uniforms. Formerly, officers had worn dark blue pants and a light blue shirt with dark blue trim. The new uniform consists of dark blue shirts and pants. The pants are accented with a "French Blue'' stripe running down the leg. New leather gear was also provided with velcro inner and outer belts.

The police department had for many years been housed in the basement of City Hall. Increasing restrictions on the use of the antiquated cell block and the need for additional work space led to the construction of a new police station in 1986. Located at 171 Park Street, it is a separate two story brick building with a full basement. Officers no longer had to stand and type reports. Detectives no longer had to share telephones and desks. Four interview rooms allowed for privacy and separation of suspects during questioning. Male and female officers now had separate locker rooms with showers. A lab was provided for the use and storage of specialized equipment.

The Selective Enforcement Team (S.E.T), consisting of a sergeant and three officers, was established in the mid-80's. This plain clothes unit normally works on drug and prostitution investigations, but are available for any assignment. Volunteer officers normally serve a nine month rotation in S.E.T.

Tragedy struck the department on July 23, 1988 when Officer David Payne was shot and killed. A review of the Payne murder by a committee from the department led to the adoption of a high capacity semiautomatic pistol. The pistol selected and in use since 1990 is the Sig-Sauer P-226, 9mm, which has a magazine capacity of 15 rounds. This replaced the 6 shot .357 magnums previously carried by officers.
The Field Training Officer Program (F.T.O.) was implemented in 1989. This program teams new officers who have just completed the academy with veteran officers for a twelve week period of training and evaluation. This on the job training prepares officers for solo assignments.

On February 22, 1991 the L.P.D. joined the computer age. Arrest records and all reports are now computerized. Computer Aided Dispatch (C.A.D.) is scheduled to be added to the computer system in the near future.

The Police And Community Enforcement team (P.A.C.E.), and experiment in community oriented policing, was established in the summer of 1991. Three officers and a sergeant provide a unique service to the downtown area by utilizing four bicycles in its patrol. It is hoped that bike mounted officers will have increased response time to a larger area than a foot officer, while at the same time be less isolated than motorized officers and therefore more accessible to citizens.

The Color Guard and Commendations Committee are also new to the department in the past few years.

The Lewiston P.D. has seen many changes in its 133 years. The future will undoubtedly bring many more innovations as the department moves to provide the services its citizens demand from law enforcement personnel.