Maine State Police response to final report on Lewiston tragedy

AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) – Maine State Police have released an after-action review (AAR) of their response to the mass shooting and manhunt in Lewiston.

They say that through the internal audit we were able to identify areas where best practices were implemented and areas that needed improvement.

The review focused on tactical and investigative measures, incident management, crime scene response, communications, and victim and family services.

They say they looked at the Maine State Police’s transparency following the incident, as well as its training, equipment and personnel, and made recommendations for further action.

This review was conducted with other partners, but they state that it was intended for their internal use.

However, they have asked the New England State Police Administrators Compact (NESPAC) to independently review their AAR.

They say NESPAC includes the entire New England State Police leadership created by state legislatures.

The detailed report includes key recommendations, including incorporating additional school shooting training by the State Police tactical team, developing and training crime scene investigation protocols, and limiting self-deployment once incident command is established and active.

The full report can be found here.

Full statement from the Department of Public Safety and Maine State Police:

The Department of Public Safety and the Maine State Police would like to thank the independent commission that dedicated its time and expertise to investigating the tragic events in Lewiston. In line with the commission’s support for a thorough investigation, the Maine State Police is releasing an After-Action Review (AAR) of our response to the Lewison mass shooting and manhunt. This internal review allowed us to identify areas where best practices were implemented and areas for improvement. Our internal AAR focused on our tactical response, investigative response, incident management, scene response, communications, and victim and family services. In addition, the AAR examined the Maine State Police’s post-incident transparency, training, equipment, and personnel, and provided baseline recommendations as well as additional recommendations for moving forward. Although other partners were involved in the response, this AAR was conducted and prepared by the Maine State Police for our internal use. In accordance with the Lewiston Commission, the Maine State Police has requested that the New England State Police Administrators Compact (NESPAC) conduct an independent review of our AAR. NESPAC is comprised of the entire New England State Police leadership created by each state legislature. (Maine 1965) MRS Title 25 Chapter 198 §1665. NESPAC was originally created to combat organized crime in New England, but has most recently been used for mutual aid in police emergencies. Through the NESPAC leadership, they will be able to draw on their subject matter experts to conduct a thorough review of the Maine State Police’s response from October 25-27, 2023. The Maine State Police intends to be fully available to NESPAC and provide them with all documents for their review. Colonel Matthew Birmingham of the Vermont State Police will lead the independent review. While we do not yet have a date for when this independent review by NESPAC will be completed, we are committed to this process and look forward to its results.

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