BIDDEFORD — After meeting in executive session for an hour and a half Monday night, the City Council voted 6-2 in favor of a resolution stating there is not enough evidence at this time to place the police chief and deputy chief on paid administrative leave while the Attorney General’s Office investigates allegations of child sex abuse against a retired Biddeford police officer.

“The mayor and City Council takes all citizen input seriously,” Mayor Alan Casavant said, reading from a written copy of the resolution. “We do not condone any case of abuse or mistreatment. … After long and extensive review of all available information at this time, the mayor and City Council will not be seeking to initiate any adverse employment action against either Biddeford Police Chief Roger Beaupre or Deputy Chief JoAnne Fisk.”

Councilors Bob Mills and Robert Quattrone opposed the resolution.

Mills said he agreed with the first half of what the mayor had to say but not the second. “I’m not satisfied,” he said.

Although city officials believe there is no information at this time to warrant “adverse employment action” against Beaupre or Fisk, that could change if new evidence emerges, explained Casavant.

“Nothing is cast in concrete at this juncture,” he said.

Allegations of sexual abuse against two former Biddeford police officers surfaced several months ago, after Matt Lauzon publicly accused former Biddeford Sgt. Stephen Dodd of sexually abusing him when he was a child growing up in Biddeford. Several others have since come forward, alleging abuse from Dodd as well as former Biddeford detective Norman Gaudette.

The AG’s Office conducted separate investigations of Dodd and Gaudette more than a decade ago, but neither was ever charged. In April, the AG’s Office confirmed it is currently investigating sexual abuse allegations involving a former Biddeford officer and a young teenage boy, but the details of that investigation have not been released.

For weeks, Lauzon, other alleged victims and their supporters have implored city officials to suspend Beaupre and Fisk or place them on paid administrative leave in the wake of the allegations. Others have argued Beaupre, who was in command when much of the abuse allegedly occurred, must have known it was happening, and therefore should be fired.

The council’s decision Monday left the audience of about 20 visibly upset. Although Lauzon left City Hall quietly, telling reporters he had no comment at that time, a few people lingered on the steps of the building, pointing middle fingers and shouting expletives at Casavant as he made his way to the parking lot.

In a Facebook post this morning, Lauzon urged people to not be discouraged by the decision. “I don’t agree with the decision by the City Council but I respect that they made their position clear,” he wrote.

— Staff Writer Angelo J. Verzoni can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or [email protected].