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Portland police putting more officers on streets in response to uptick in violent crime

As of Friday, there have been five separate shootings within the past week and a half in Portland alone.

PORTLAND, Maine — Portland Police announced new plans Friday to add more officers to the streets after five shootings in the city in less than a week.

Through 2022 so far, police said they have responded to 42 shootings, which was more than double the number they saw in 2021. They also responded to 17 stabbings, which they said was up by 31 percent since last year.

"The behavior we're seeing is really challenging," Interim Chief F. Heath Gorham said during a news conference on Friday afternoon. 

Gorham said the department would eliminate the number of outside overtime details for most traffic and construction work, and shift those officers to working on the streets. 

Chief Gorham said in some high-violence areas, including the Bayside neighborhood, officers will patrol in teams of two.

"The goal is to show a presence to let the public understand we're out there and we understand the importance we understand that they're concerned about what they're seeing in their community," Gorham said.

Gorham said the department had been operating at a minimum staffing level of officers on the streets, with 25 vacant officer positions.

Compounding the issue is a lack of corrections officers at the Cumberland County Jail. 

Sheriff Kevin Joyce told NEWS CENTER Maine on Thursday that nearly 80 positions at the jail are vacant. The jail is no longer taking in people who commit non-violent misdemeanors, and instead, they receive a summons. Earlier this week, U.S. Marshals removed people staying there who are in federal custody.

"There is a point in time that people need to be arrested and taken to jail and when we don't have the ability to do that, it affects public safety in our communities," Gorham said. 

Gorham said he and other public safety leaders have asked the state again to help provide more corrections officers and police officers.

"I can't afford to lose any more staff, and there has to be a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel or I will lose them. My fear is if we lose too many more, we have to look at shutting down the jail completely, and I don't want to get to that point," Sheriff Joyce said during Friday's news conference.

The move to re-assign police officers comes after five shootings in the city of Portland in less than a week.

On Wednesday just after 6:30 p.m., police responded to a shooting in Deering Oaks Park. The victim of the shooting died Thursday morning at Maine Medical Center. Police arrested Amin Awies Mohamed of Roxbury, MA and charged him with murder.

Two separate shootings occurred at the Riverton Housing Complex last Friday around 8 p.m. and Saturday around 3 a.m. Portland Police arrested Abdihamit Ali of Portland for the 3 a.m. shooting. A 20-year-old female was hit by a bullet while standing in Riverton Park. Ali fired several rounds into the car in a targeted attack on the woman. A fired bullet struck a nearby apartment building and went through the wall of a child's bedroom.

Police responded to a report of a man randomly shooting down Bolton Street on Sunday around 7:20 p.m. In a news release, police said Officers had engaged with him several times that past week for escalating behavioral health issues.

On Aug. 30, police received reports of gunshots being fired in the area of Cedar Street and Oxford Street just before they received a call about an unconscious man on the sidewalk. The man was reportedly a victim of an apparent assault and robbery and was transported to Maine Medical Center. Police suspect the two incidents are related.

Chief Gorham said the lack of behavioral health and substance use disorder treatment facilities to help people is another compounding factor.

"Until there is more housing and treatment facilities, that will remain a challenge," Gorham said.

This year, there have been seven shooting victims. Two of the victims died.

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