Semper Fi

by “Richie”

Reading Mark’s post about a “Stab at Justice” brought back memories of my very first encounter, as a Police Officer, with serious crime. This was back in 1978; I had just gotten out of the Police Academy. Unlike now days, new Officers then were put out on the street with basically little or no experience. I was 28 when I came here; and had some Life Experience at least, but there were some guys who were still youngsters, so to speak.

They had only just a few uears before started mandating Police Academy training for new Officers, and they would also start working backwards, so to speak, and also get Officers already employed. I believe there was a cut-off point; like, around 10 yrs., and you didn’t have to go. I was here for 13 months before Lewiston sent me; but there was an ulterior motive involved here too. The Police Commission wanted to see if you’d make your one-year probationary period before they paid to send you to the academy. This way they could save money. There were seven of us hired July of ‘77, and of them only three of us continued to retirement; I stayed the longest, and I’m still here.

Fall of 1978 they sent me to Police Academy. Training was mediocre at best, but some of it was good, pertinent, and interesting. The Dr. Henry Ryan dead body slide show was fascinating. The only dead people I had ever seen in my young life were always in a funeral home. Most people have little or no acquaintance with death other than through going to a funeral. Well, that winter in Lewiston was my first contact with violent death.

Fellow is walking along Pine Street with his girlfriend; “shucking an’ jiving” and being just the usual typical loud-mouthed jerk. Just another night in Lewiston, eh ? Well, right in the area of the old movie theatre (since turned into apartments, and then destroyed in a fire) someone has the temerity to actually tell the idiot to quiet down. We’ve seen this scenario before; an idiot encounters another idiot, and before long, just like kids, words are exchanged. No doubt some naughty words were exchanged, with a pinch of name calling thrown in. Add a shot of fisticuffs and you have a recipe for a fun night in Lewiston. Mr. Tough Guy is with his girlfriend, so we know he has to prove himself as being “baad”. This he proceeds to do. He pulls out a pocket knife and proceeds to stab the other guy, once, in the upper chest; dropping him in one shot. Toes up. Dead right there. Munching daisies from the roots up. Nope, won’t be down for breakfast either.

Brave boy ran off but was later captured. Tried and found guilty, sent to prison, and subsequently released after serving about 16yrs or so. I got sent to the scene to assist with scene security and crowd control. Cold winter night, it was amazing how many people just ” had ” to come out, and just ” had ” to walk down the street right by where the corpse was. The guy looked like he’d slipped and fallen, and was merely unconcious. There little visible blood; not much of anything to show what had happened. After the body was removed I remember how we searched the area looking for the knife. The knife itself was one of those small lock-blade type; good for not much more than cutting twine or string or paper; but in this case it was more than enough to kill someone.

I ended up being sent to the hospital to guard the corpse while awaiting for it to be removed to the Medical Examiners office. Medics had attempted to work on the guy before determining it was a fatal wound.

I remember looking at the wound; one very small stab wound right between the nipples. Just the tiniest thing; but he was dead. Stabed in the heart, bled out internally, the nature of the injury being such that even if heart surgeons had been right there they probably couldn’t have saved him. Just one of those freak occurances that ended tragically.

I remember how amazed I was that such a small knife could do such an immense thing; killing a person. I’d seen people injured, some seriously, even before enlisting in the Police; but the social circle I was used to didn’t usually run the risk of death or grievous injury. It was an eye-opening experience for me, a young rookie, and I still to this day think about it. The sad part is that the victim really hadn’t done anything to deserve dieing. His mistake was pretty much “being in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

His life was only worth the 16 or so yrs the bad guy spent in prison. The two things are certainly not equal in value. Keep that in mind as you follow the murder trial going on now over in the County Courthouse.
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“Richie” is a pseudonym for a retired Lewiston Police Officer. Served over 25yrs in a number of roles; his most favourite being Dispatcher (back when LPD ran its’ own radio) and Burglary / Theft Detective. He is still employed by the LPD in a civilian capacity. Originally from Niagara Falls, NY; “Richie” married a girl from Caribou while he was stationed at Loring AFB. After living in Massachusetts for 7 yrs they moved back to Maine when “Richie” joined the Lewiston P.D. “Richie” is still married to that girl from Caribou, has 4 adult kids and 4 grandchildren. He has an extensive library; with concentrations in Medieval History and WW-II (German) Military History. He also has a huge sci-fi collection. Matter of fact, like his dad used to say, if toilet paper had printing on it “Richie” would read it.