LEWISTON, Maine – The Lewiston Police Department handled 3,506 calls for service in March, a month that also saw dozens of crashes, hundreds of traffic stops, 21 confirmed overdoses, two confirmed shooting incidents, and 186 arrests, according to the department’s latest “Neighborhood First” public snapshot.
The department’s March numbers paint a picture of a city where police are balancing routine enforcement with more serious public safety concerns. In addition to the 3,506 calls for service, Lewiston police reported 545 motor vehicle stops, 131 motor vehicle accidents, 187 wellbeing calls, 83 written citations, 65 written warnings, 397 verbal warnings, 141 custodial arrests, and 45 summonses.
Those figures landed during a month when violent crime again put Lewiston in the spotlight. On March 20, Lewiston police responded to a shooting on Union Street and then requested assistance from Maine State Police. Authorities said 22-year-old Maliyah Powell of Lewiston died from a gunshot wound, and 25-year-old Elise Bergeron of Lewiston was later arrested and charged with murder. State police said the investigation was conducted with assistance from the Lewiston Police Department.
That killing also renewed public concern in the neighborhood east of Kennedy Park, where residents told WGME they no longer feel safe, especially at night. The station reported that Lt. Derrick St. Laurent said the area is heavily patrolled and that police were exploring relocating portable surveillance systems there to deter criminal activity and improve monitoring.
The department’s March report also underscores the continued burden that overdoses place on local law enforcement and first responders. Lewiston police reported 21 confirmed overdoses in just one month, a figure that shows how drug-related emergencies remain a major part of day-to-day policing in the city.
The timing is notable as well. Police department funding was part of a Lewiston City Council budget workshop held March 24, with the agenda specifically listing police budget pages and the drug enforcement fund for discussion.
Taken together, March was not a quiet month for Lewiston police. The raw numbers reflect the steady grind of traffic enforcement, accidents, and wellbeing checks, but they also point to a deeper reality: Lewiston officers are working in a city still wrestling with violent crime, overdose calls, and persistent neighborhood safety concerns. The department’s stated mission is to build partnership with the community while protecting life and property, and March’s activity report shows just how much that mission is being tested on the ground.
