BANGOR, Maine — Area public safety officials say the Bangor region needs to continue to push for better solutions for people struggling with addiction and mental health problems.
Penobscot County Sheriff Troy Morton, Bangor police Deputy Chief Brad Johnston and Bangor Fire Chief Tom Higgins sat down Wednesday morning for the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce’s Early Bird Breakfast to discuss the state of public safety in the region.
“We know how to write a ticket or take people to jail for crimes,” Johnston said, but for most people charged in connection to crimes stemming from drug abuse or mental health problems, that’s not the best solution.
Among the subjects they stressed was the growing amount of time and resources emergency responders and corrections officials devote to reacting to problems related to substance abuse and mental health issues.
Johnston said Bangor police have been partnering with Acadia Hospital, working with mental health and substance abuse liaisons to determine the best ways to handle these sorts of calls.
Penobscot County Jail is severely overcrowded and has been for years.
Morton said that in a jail with capacity for 156 inmates, the average daily population is about 180. On Wednesday, he said, there were 202 people in the jail. Penobscot County Jail has an additional 100 inmates who have been shipped off to jails in other counties or released into pretrial services.
“We cannot continue to operate like this,” Morton said. “We know what we currently have does not work.”
Morton said his office is exploring the potential of opening a second jail facility to house mid-level inmates — people who don’t qualify for pretrial services but aren’t considered high-risk enough to need the level of supervision at the existing jail. The concept is still in its very early stages, but several options could be brought forward within the next few months, he said.
Public safety and health officials have been pushing for more addiction treatment options and more “beds” where people can start the road to recovery. Higgins and Bangor Police Chief Mark Hathaway have joined those urging this change through their collaboration with the city’s Community Health Leadership Board.
The state last week released a request for proposals seeking an organization to open a residential social detoxification center somewhere in northern or eastern Maine, but it likely will take more than a year for any such facility to open.
During Wednesday’s breakfast, the public safety officials also shared their thoughts on recent national unrest and criticism surrounding police stemming from allegations of police brutality and shootings of black men in other parts of the country.
In the midst of that unrest, and at the end of what had been a peaceful protest, a sniper attack in Dallas left five officers dead and seven wounded.
In response, Bangor residents gathered in West Market Square to hold a vigil memorializing both the men who had been killed by police in recent weeks, as well as the officers who were attacked.
Four days later, a gunman in Baton Rouge shot six officers, killing three, and again, Bangor-area residents came together. More than 100 people gathered outside the Bangor Police Department to show their support for emergency responders in the wake of the shootings.
“We are very fortunate for the support we have in this area,” Johnston said.
The deputy chief added that the way to ensure a strong relationship between officers and their community is to have a strong dialogue.
“Ultimately, it’s the communication we need to work on,” he said.
Follow Nick McCrea on Twitter at @nmccrea213.