Damariscotta Police Chief Steven Drake recently expressed his concern about the rash of commercial burglaries in town over the past several months. He is seeking the cooperation of the general public in both solving these crimes and preventing further incidents.
“The general public are the eyes and ears of the police in any jurisdiction,” said Drake. “Public involvement and support is vitally important in our success in identifying those who break the law and in helping to prevent crime.”
Chief Drake encouraged anyone observing suspicious activities to call 911 and report them: “We see the general public as a ‘force multiplier,'” he said.
Operating with limited resources, police officers only see a very small percentage of what’s actually happening in the community at any given time, Drake said, but with increased public awareness of current criminal activity, and willingness to report suspicious activity of any kind, his department is able to employ hundreds of eyes and ears to help detect and prevent crime before it occurs.
Drake emphasized “we’re certainly not diminishing our responsibility as professional law enforcement officers, nor are we trying to build a vigilante mentality. We’re just seeking some additional help to better serve our community. In other words, ‘If you see it, report it!'”
Chief Drake noted that Damariscotta is still a safe place to live and work, but he said, “We all have to understand that we live in an inter-connected world. The problems of larger towns and cities will inevitably come here. We have to work together to build a community that recognizes and is ready for that fact.”
