LEWISTON — Mayor Carl Sheline is reviving his long-defunct public safety committee, which is hosting two public listening sessions this week.

The sessions are from 5:30-6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Geiger Elementary School, 601 College St., and Thursday at the Lewiston Public Library, 200 Lisbon St. Sheline said he wants to hear honest feedback from residents regarding the conditions they are facing downtown.

The mayor will conduct the public sessions along with committee Co-chair Abdikadir Negeye, assistant director of Maine Immigrant and Refugee Services, with officials hoping that the sessions and committee work can build trust and cooperation between law enforcement and the public.

“This isn’t just about crime stats or headlines,” Sheline said in a news release. “These sessions are about what we can do to take on this concern. Your stories, your thoughts all matter and let’s use these sessions to exchange what can be done. If any part of our community feels unsafe, it affects all of us. That’s why we need to hear from you.”

Sheline initially formed an ad hoc committee on community safety in the summer of 2023 in response to increased gun violence, including a Knox Street shooting that left two dead. However, the committee was quickly plagued by political sparring over its membership, held only one meeting prior to the Oct. 25, 2023, mass shooting, and has been on hiatus ever since.

The committee’s membership includes several people from the original committee, including Police Chief David St. Pierre, Superintendent of Schools Jake Langlais, Androscoggin County District Attorney Neil McLean Jr., Lewiston attorney Jack Clifford and Tree Street Youth Executive Director Julia Sleeper. New additions include City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath; Councilor Susan Longchamps, and Sgt. Joey Brown and Detective Travys Fecteau from the Lewiston Police Department.

Sheline said Monday that in some sense, the committee never began its work. But he also acknowledged some public criticism for not reviving the committee sooner amid continued gun violence in the city.

“I understand that there’s been some frustration with the delay in restarting this committee and it’s concerned me too,” he said. “Beyond the events and aftermath of Oct. 25, 2023, and the recent changes in city administration, some of the delay can certainly be attributed to me. I appreciate the public’s patience and I’m excited to be back up and running.”

Asked about the overall goals of the committee, Sheline said that while they will largely be established by the committee, one of his top goals is to “increase cooperation between the community and the police department.”

Police have often said that a major barrier to solving crimes is a lack of cooperation from witnesses. During a 2024 news conference, when officials outlined a plan to combat gun violence, Androscoggin County District Attorney Neil McLean called the lack of cooperation with police during investigations “a massive breakdown in our community right now.”

Despite years of discussions and plans for addressing gun violence, the city has continued to experience shootings. Over the course of one week in mid-June, three shootings in downtown Lewiston left one man injured and led to a police standoff. A mosque was also fired upon.

Last week, law enforcement from multiple agencies conducted an operation downtown aimed at reducing gun violence, making eight arrests.

According to a news release announcing this week’s listening sessions, the feedback collected from both sessions “will inform the committee’s recommendations and help guide future safety strategies across the city.”

“Knowing that safety in Lewiston isn’t just measured by numbers, but felt on front porches, in schools, parks and even during evening walks around the neighborhood, (Sheline) urges residents and business owners to come together to help strengthen community security we all deserve by attending Lewiston’s public safety listening sessions,” the release said.

“This isn’t a place for speeches, it’s a space to listen,” Negeye said. “We want to hear the truth and we want to build trust and it starts here. Continuing to work together is important and I look forward to listening to our residents during these sessions.”