Police officials to begin ’round table’ talks

LINCOLN – Police officials from northern Penobscot County are starting a monthly “round table” in an effort to improve communication and possibly increase arrest numbers for regional crimes.

Developed by Lincoln Police Chief Hank Dusenberry, the round table once a month will bring together officials from East Millinocket, Lincoln, Millinocket, the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Department and the state police to share information and compare notes on criminal activity. The round table will meet for the first time April 8.

Until now, interdepartmental communication usually occurred only when an incident specifically involved one or more agencies, Dusenberry said Tuesday. Even then, police efforts were often “on the back of the curve” trying to catch up with criminal activity, he said. As a more proactive approach, it is hoped the round table will give police officials a “leg up” on solving related crimes in participating areas, he said.

“The more information we have, the better off we are,” Duseberry said.

Burglaries likely will be a topic of the discussions, Dusenberry said. Lincoln has seen a higher number of burglaries in recent months and some individuals have been arrested in connection with burglaries in both areas, Dusenberry said.

“Hopefully, we can stem the tide,” Dusenberry said.

Burglaries seem to be a regional crime and perpetrators seem to move around looking for new opportunities, according to Millinocket interim Police Chief Donald Bolduc. Sharing information between the departments may turn up similar criminal methods, techniques or tools, Bolduc said.

“I think that with sharing any type of information, we should start to see patterns,” Bolduc said Wednesday. “It definitely should produce results.”

Bolduc described the round table as a necessary tool for the departments and said that Millinocket Detective Jon Glidden would be involved in the discussions.