LEWISTON — The Lewiston Police Department, with support from the Auburn Police Department and the Androscoggin County Sheriff’s Office converged on the Vale Street neighborhood Thursday night to disperse a crowd of Bates College students gathered for the annual “Trick or Drink.”

“They had a non-college-sponsored event,” Lewiston police Lt. David St. Pierre said.

“Trick or Drink” is when Bates students dress in Halloween costumes and visit off-campus student housing, drinking at each stop.

“We were warned that tonight there would be police out in costume, dressed like Bates kids,” said Nick, a 21-year-old junior who did not want to give his last name. “At one point there were four cop cars on one street.”

“The only thing that Lewiston officers dressed up as was police officers,” St. Pierre said.

Nick, who was walking along College Street with two friends after police left the area, said at least 200 students took part in “Trick or Drink.”

It was relatively quiet around the campus and in surrounding neighborhoods as of 10:30 p.m., with groups of mostly costumed students congregated outside student housing buildings.

No one was charged, St. Pierre said.

“There were reported to be 200 to 250 people out” for the event, which he said was “short-lived.” He said two police units from Auburn and one from the Sheriff’s Department were called to stand by as Lewiston officers patrolled streets around the college.