LEWISTON — The Police Department has been named the December winner of a national photo contest that illustrates community police work in action.
The photo was taken by then Sun Journal photographer Amber Waterman in September 2014. In the photo, Community Resource Officer Joe Philippon shares a laugh with Jacynthe Jacques and Fahmo Ahmed during a National Welcoming Week for new Mainers at the St. Mary’s Nutrition Center.
The contest is held by COPS, the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, which is part of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The Lewiston Police Department was one of 12 winners of the contest, according to Mary Brandenberger, press secretary of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The contest allows police departments to share positive interactions with the community, a cornerstone of community policing, Brandenberger said.
“It’s great for the department,” Philippon said Wednesday of the contest. “It highlights the work being done locally.”
The department has three community officers, Philippon, Patrick Griffin and Charles Weaver, and a supervisor, Sgt. Randy St. Laurent.
Bussiere said the Community Resource Team helps police officers work with the public to solve crime and promote safe neighborhoods. “We encourage all of our officers to be approachable to the citizenry they serve through use of directed and interactive patrols, to include foot and bicycle patrol.”
Community policing “is really not about programs, special events or fancy acronyms,” the chief said. “It’s really more about how an officer chooses to interact with the community he or she serves.”
The COPS Office received more than 200 photos for the contest and initially planned to name four winners throughout 2015. The COPS Office received so many photos they liked, winners were expanded to one each month.
Each month, the winning action photo has been featured through COPS Office social media. Other winners include tribal departments from the Midwest, police departments in California, Texas, North Carolina, Michigan and Washington, D.C.
To see other winners, to go www.cops.usdoj.gov/Default.asp?Item=2774
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