LEWISTON — Police Chief David St. Pierre announced Thursday that he will step down from leading the department of 82 sworn officers at the beginning of September.
No reason for his departure was given when the city acknowledged his resignation Thursday afternoon. He has been with the department for more than 30 years, starting as a patrol officer in the summer of 1992 and rising through the ranks to become chief in 2021.
“Serving this city — my hometown — has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” St. Pierre said in a prepared statement. “My 33-year career with the Lewiston Police Department has been nothing short of fantastic; so very rewarding and challenging at the same time.”
In a city news release circulated about 5 p.m., leaders praised St. Pierre’s handling of the mass shootings in October 2023, his connection to the community and his efforts that led to the development of a new, state-of-the art police station.
“Lewiston is better because of his leadership, and his legacy will carry forward,” City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath said in the news release.
“His decades of service have made Lewiston a safer, stronger community,” Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline said. “In particular, his guidance and strength during the Oct. 25 tragedy provided reassurance and clarity during one of our darkest hours. Lewiston owes him a profound debt of gratitude, and I respect him immensely for all he has given to this city.”
In the aftermath of the mass shootings in 2023, St. Pierre and his officers were praised for their response in the earliest moments of the tragedy.
“Dave St.Pierre,” retired Lewiston Police Lt. Don Mailhot said Thursday, “had the calm, fortified and professional response to facilitate the eventual capture of the shooter. He responded as needed and helped to secure several locations while directing multiple agencies in the event. His strong leadership abilities protected additional lives and helped calm a rattled community.”
Even beyond the mass shooting, St. Pierre’s time in office has rarely been quiet.
For nearly the entirety of his time in the chief’s chair, St. Pierre has faced an angry and frightened public demanding to know why there were so many shootings in the downtown residential part of the city.
The chief and the city responded to those complaints with a series of community forums meant to address some of the factors that contributed to the shootings.
St. Pierre also organized specific police details aimed at rooting out the people responsible for opening fire in the city’s dense residential area.
Throughout all that, St. Pierre often clashed with the City Council over various issues, including recent comments from Scott Harriman, who blamed the chief for what he deemed poor recruitment efforts.
Another councilor had taken St. Pierre to task for seeking a pay raise for his officers after the budget had been finalized.
Yet, in public forums and across social media, many have come to blame city leaders for Lewiston’s recent troubles while throwing support behind the Police Department.
“When we have city councilors repeatedly launching salvos from the dais at the city’s top law enforcement official,” said Maura Murphy, founder of the Facebook group Lewiston Matters, “you know something has gone very wrong within our representative leadership.”
Still, some continue to fault St. Pierre for his handling of the city’s continuing safety woes.
“For a while, I’ve been not pleased with our chief of police,” former City Councilor Linda Scott said. “I think we have a phenomenal Police Department. We have phenomenal police officers working for our department. I think our leadership is lacking, to be quite honest with you. I always wanted a police chief that spoke to our community with all the issues that we’re having. Somebody that’s out there, that’s innovative …
“I wish him luck in his retirement,” Scott said, “but I think this is a great opportunity for our community to maybe find a police chief that’s going to hopefully come in with new ideas, new vision, and make the changes that we need to see in our community, which is really fixing the safety issue.”
With St. Pierre on his way out, the future of the department leadership remains unclear.
Deputy Chief Adam Higgins, in that role since 2017, would typically be next in line, although after more than 30 years on the force, Higgins is close to retirement.
Lt. Derrick St. Laurent would follow next in the department hierarchy, but it remained unknown if either of the men are interested in the chief’s position.
Typically when a chief departs, the city will name an interim chief while officials search for a permanent replacement, either from outside or inside the department.
When a selection is made, the new chief will be appointed by the city administrator.
Staff Writer Andrew Rice contributed to this report.
