BIDDEFORD — After meeting in executive session for more than an hour Tuesday night, the City Council unanimously passed a resolution to not place Police Chief Roger Beaupre on paid leave or seek an investigation of the city’s police department amid claims that two ex-Biddeford officers sexually abused minors when they served with the department more than a decade ago.

The council’s decision sparked outrage from dozens of citizens who for months have demanded that the city take action in the wake of the allegations, which have long dominated the public discourse of Biddeford city meetings.

The state Attorney General’s Office investigated Matt Lauzon’s allegations of child sexual abuse against one of the former officers, but Attorney General Janet Mills announced in a statement last week that her office will not charge the man, citing “insufficient evidence” proving he committed a crime.

Despite the AG’s decision, Lauzon, a Boston businessman who grew up in Biddeford, maintains that an independent investigation of the city’s police department is needed and that Beaupre should be placed on leave – an action he and others have for months argued would make it easier for more alleged victims to come forward.

After Tuesday’s meeting, Mayor Alan Casavant said such actions would be “inappropriate” given the evidence he and City Councilors have seen in the last several months. Similarly, in June, the council voted against placing Beaupre on leave, saying there is no evidence to suggest he mishandled allegations of sexual abuse that surfaced recently or in years past.

“Based on the evidence we’ve seen within executive session and what’s in the public domain, we pretty much reaffirmed what the Attorney General’s Office has said in terms of the conduct of the Biddeford Police Department and (Chief) Roger Beaupre that in the past and currently, they’ve done everything they were expected to do in terms of protocol,” said Casavant.

Even with eight of the nine City Councilors in favor of the resolution (Councilor Roger Hurtubise, Lauzon’s uncle, abstained from the vote), several people said they would continue to fight for the council to take action.

“We’re not going away,” said resident Brianna Gilbert. “This is only round one.”

Others expressed confusion and anger over the council’s decision.

“I can’t understand,” said resident Dennis Munroe. “It’s not like you’re firing the police chief. You’re putting him on paid vacation really. We have so many people who want to come forward with new information but they will not because they do not trust the police department.”

Former Mayor Joanne Twomey called city officials cowards for not taking action and for using the announcement by the AG’s Office to “couch (their) argument that (they) don’t need to do anything.”

Tuesday’s meeting ended abruptly at about 10:30 p.m., after resident Karl Reed, who was the fourth person to address councilors on the allegations and their resolution, began making explicit remarks.

But even as councilors hurriedly left the building, more citizens continued to speak at the podium, including Melissa Bednarowski, a former City Councilor and president of Stand Up 4 Me, a Maine victims aid organization that formed as a result of the controversy.

“The truth will emerge,” she said. “You will have to testify in court when the civil case comes.”

Lauzon and his attorney have repeatedly said that with or without criminal charges imminent, they will file a civil lawsuit against the former officer he says abused him as well as the city.

— Staff Writer Angelo J. Verzoni can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 329 or averzoni@journaltribune.com.