WILTON – Wilton police have been directed to refer investigations of certain crimes involving juvenile victims to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department.

“I think these have been long-term problems that have gotten worse recently,” said Franklin County Assistant District Attorney James Andrews.

The District Attorney’s Office brought some concerns to Wilton Town Manager Peter Nielsen on Oct. 13, Nielsen said. Nielsen later discussed them with selectmen, he said.

The concerns relate to inadequate and inappropriate responses to requests from citizens making 911 calls, Andrews said.

He believes the problems have been going on for years, Andrews said, but this is the first time his office has addressed it.

The District Attorney’s Office has the authority to decide in certain types of cases which authority handles investigations, Andrews said.

Both Andrews and Nielsen said their agencies are cooperating with the Attorney General’s Office.

“Our basic concern is to protect the public safety,” Nielsen said.

“I would urge people to have patience,” Andrews said. “The town is taking the appropriate steps. They’re doing what needs to be done.”

Nielsen said town officials are trying to make “sure we’re doing things the right way and we’ve done things the right way.”

The handling of some domestic assaults and some cases involving juvenile victims were discussed with Nielsen, Andrews said.

Selectmen took action Nov. 3 in agreeing to hire the Maine Chiefs of Police Association to conduct an internal departmental review of policies and practices of the Wilton Police Department, Nielsen said.

The board also requested that interim Police Chief Ed Leahy follow up on the information provided by the District Attorney’s Office, Nielsen said.

Leahy was appointed to the interim post after longtime Chief James Parker retired in September at the age of 62.

In a Nov. 24 letter to Nielsen, signed by both Andrews and Assistant District Attorney Andrew Robinson, the state prosecutors note that they directed their concerns to the Board of Trustees for the Criminal Justice Academy for further investigation.

They stated their concerns in a letter sent to the Attorney General’s Office in care of Brian MacMaster, director of investigations.

“This seemed to be the most prudent approach to the situation,” the state attorneys wrote. “Particularly in light of the fact that all parties agree that if an investigation is going to be conducted it will be done by the Attorney General’s Office and not by the town or the Wilton Police Department.”

A full report of the findings will be made to the town.

On Dec. 7, the prosecutors sent a letter to Leahy directing the department to refer to the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department, any investigations of the following crimes, when the victim has not attained his or her 18th birthday.

Those crimes are assault, aggravated assault, gross sexual assault, sexual abuse of a minor, unlawful sexual contact, visual sexual aggression against a child, sexual misconduct with a child under 14 years of age, solicitation of child by computer to commit a prohibited act, unlawful sexual touching, sexual exploitation of a minor, dissemination of sexually explicit material, possession of sexually explicit material and incest.

Leahy declined comment on the situation Tuesday, saying he was part of the investigation.

The prosecutors’ letter was to be discussed at the Dec. 7 selectmen’s meeting, but the meeting was canceled due to a storm.

Nielsen said earlier Tuesday that he planned to discuss the information with selectmen in a meeting Tuesday night.

Andrews said he has told Nielsen that after investigations are done and if some changes are made, state prosecutors would be willing to review the decision to have the county handle the juvenile victim cases.