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Lewiston Police Chief to retire

After a 26-year career with the Lewiston Police Department, Chief Mike Bussiere has announced his retirement, effective July 17. Bussiere has accepted a command-level position with a police department in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.

“While I soon will be moving away from Lewiston, the city that I was born and raised in, a part of me will always remain behind, and I will forever be a cheerleader for this great city,” said Bussiere. “I leave knowing that the men and women of the LPD are some of the best law enforcement professionals in the State of Maine and that they will continue to serve the city with honor, integrity, and pride.”

During Bussiere’s tenure as Chief of Police, crime in Lewiston has been reduced by over 40%, in part through a series of crime reduction strategies involving “hot spot policing,” which he introduced in 2012. After four years, Operation Hot Spots has not only reduced crime, but has increased public awareness, education, community outreach, and partnerships. The effort has been so successful that the Department was recognized by the U.S. Department of Justice and received a grant for $150,000 to expand the program, which has become a model for other law enforcement agencies in the State.

Under his leadership, the Lewiston Police Department has also established a Community Resource Team, the Coffee with a Cop program, the Citizen’s Police Academy, Movie Night with the Cops, and has expanded its support of numerous non-profit agencies.

“I’m sorry that Mike will be leaving,” said City Administrator Ed Barrett. “During his tenure, he has shown a deep and abiding commitment to Lewiston – his community and his home. He will leave us with a Police Department that aggressively addresses crime and public safety, but does so by building strong and durable relationships with all elements of our community. I know he will keep his eye on Lewiston, even if, for a time, it’s from afar.”

“Mike has done a terrific job for this community,” added Mayor Bob Macdonald, a retired veteran of the Lewiston Police Department. “He has provided sound and thoughtful leadership to the department and has never shrunk from addressing problems and standing up for his hometown. He has instilled a new level of pride, not only in the Department, but in the city as a whole. We will all miss him.”

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