BIDDEFORD, Maine - The Biddeford City Council voted last night not to suspend the police chief or conduct an investigation of the department, which has come under scrutiny after two former police officers were accused of molesting minors. But supporters of alleged abuse victims are vowing to continue their fight.
Those calling for the suspension of Police Chief Roger Beaupre came to the City Council meeting at Biddeford High School Tuesday night carrying signs that read "Enough is Enough" and "We Want Action."
When councilors went into a closed-door executive session to discuss what, if any, action to take against the police department, the crowd waiting in the auditorium heard via cellphone from Matt Lauzon, a former resident and alleged abuse victim who brought the issue into the spotlight though social media.
Lauzon's message of encouragement was relayed by supporter Barbara Laverriere. "Regardless of what they do tonight, justice will prevail."
But cheers turned to outrage when councilors returned from an executive session that lasted more than an hour. Mayor Alan Casavant read the council's proposed resolution. "The City Council will not seek at this time an outside investigation, and will not initiate employment action against Police Chief Roger Beaupre. All in favor, raise your hand," he said.
After the council voted to adopt the resolution, residents, including Claudia Cantara, lined up for the public comment period to express their frustration. "These people have been begging. I've watched them come to you - this council - begging for help," she said. "And nothing has happened."
Resident Dennis Munroe asked councilors how they could sleep at night. "If you can't look in the mirror with a straight face, resign. As a matter of fact, a lot of you should resign right now. Because I'm going to be here forever."
But when residents started hurling insults toward council members and the city's attorney, Mayor Alan Casavant ended the meeting. Casavant says the evidence councilors have received over the past several months of alleged abuse is largely anecdotal, and that the police department has followed proper protocol in the investigation.
He says he doesn't understand the calls to put Police Chief Roger Beaupre on administrative leave. "They argue that the chief is an impediment to other witnesses coming forward, but the Biddeford Police Department is not even doing the investigation. It's been entirely in the hands of the Attorney General's office," Casavant says. "So any victim that would want to come forward would obviously go there. So the Biddeford police department is not involved."
When Matt Lauzon reported his alleged abuse - which he says happened in the 1990s - to the police department about a year ago, the investigation was handed over to the attorney general's office. Last week, Attorney General Janet Mills announced she would not file criminal charges due to insufficient evidence.
But Melissa Bednarowski, president of the newly-formed group Stand Up 4 ME - which seeks to end child sexual abuse - says the attorney general's decision is not a reason for inaction by the city. "She wasn't investigating the police department. She wasn't investigating Roger Beaupre. She wasn't investigating levels of corruption in the city, and that's what we're asking for."
Bednarowski says she and other supporters will now focus on a civil suit against the Biddeford police that is expected to be filed on behalf of Matt Lauzon and at least two other alleged abuse victims by the end of the year.
