From staff and wire reports

The nose-numbing cold that put Maine in the deep-freeze for much of January was enough to keep many Mainers in the warmth of their homes.

It also keeps crime rates down, law enforcement officials say. In fact, crime rates generally go up and down with the rise and fall of outdoor temperatures, according to Maine Department of Public Safety statistics.

“There’s no question that cold weather reduces crime,” said Deputy Chief Joseph Massey of the Waterville Police Department.

In Lewiston, police have a different take on the effect of cold weather on crime.

“It’s not that there’s less crime when it gets cold, it’s just less visible,” said Lewiston police Sgt. Danny Lachance. “There aren’t as many people hanging out on the streets.”

Cold weather forces people to stay inside their homes or their cars. Police say that tends to lead to spikes in certain types of crimes, including domestic fights, drunken brawls and gas drive offs.

“People just aren’t outside wandering the streets,” said Lewiston police Sgt. David St. Pierre. “They’re not out drinking on their porches. There’s still crime. Only not as many people are seeing it.”

February is usually the month with the lowest crime rate in Maine, while July and August have the highest crime rates, according to Department of Public Safety statistics.

In 2003, Maine recorded 2,104 serious crimes in February and 3,387 crimes in July, a 61 percent increase over the span.

Steven Giorgetti, assistant professor of criminal justice at Thomas College, said criminals tend to be aware of their surroundings.

“They’re aware they may be leaving tracks in the snow that police can follow,” he said. “And they’re aware it’s harder to escape on a slippery winter surface. They can’t run and they can’t drive very fast, either.”

A month ago, a man who was caught during a burglary attempt at Saints Peter and Paul Basilica in Lewiston was critically injured when he slipped and fell while trying to escape, police said. The man was found unconscious on a patch of icy ground.

Police from several departments say they have plenty to do in the winter, with icy roads, snowstorms and car accidents. But when the extreme cold hangs around long enough, police tend to have more free time.

Police say that’s a good time to catch up on paperwork or projects that may get ignored during busier times.

“When it’s real cold, it’s dead,” said Pittsfield police Officer Nicole Sprague. “It does get boring.”

But officers still have to police the streets, and they don’t like being out in the cold any more than criminals do, police say.

“Patrolling all night when its below zero is not fun,” Massey said.

Regardless, police officers say they do not become less alert just because the mercury in the thermometer is way down. It may be cold, but human nature works in all weather.

“You can never judge things based on the weather,” Lachance, the Lewiston police sergeant, said. “You just never know.”

Staff writer Mark LaFlamme and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

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