LEWISTON — City councilors unanimously approved $200,000 in police overtime Tuesday as part of a broad city plan that includes expanding law enforcement in the city’s high-risk areas.

The Community Engagement and Accountability initiative will, in part, deploy a mobile police command unit into neighborhoods, expand foot and bicycle patrols and increase targeted enforcement in response to growing issues with youth gun violence.

The supplemental appropriation request, which pulls from the city’s salary reserve account, was one of the action items brought forth by City Administrator Bryan Kaenrath as part of the initiative that was unveiled last week after a string of shootings, most involving youths.

“The people of this city want action, want us to address the violence happening in our city repeatedly,” Kaenrath said. “This is to address immediately … what our residents want action on now. Not later.”

The initiative’s broader action plan also calls for legislative changes overhauling the juvenile justice system, especially in cases involving repeat violent offenders found incompetent to stand trial. 

“We’ve really been looking at who’s involved in these shootings … (and) we’re seeing these same individuals repeating these same behaviors coming back into the community,” Lewiston police Chief Carly Conley said. “Whether they’re not being mandated to participate in any programs or aren’t engaging, we’re not doing what we need to do for them in the long run.”

The overtime pay will allow the police department to kickstart the CEA’s enforcement component as city officials connect with police, the District Attorney’s Office and legislative delegation to address gaps in the state’s juvenile justice system, according to Kaenrath. 

Ward 7 Councilor Bret Martel brought forth an amendment which would have committed an additional $55,000 from the city’s fund balance to purchase a drone capable of self-deployment. Already set to receive a previously funded drone with such capabilities, the department would benefit greatly from a second, Conley said. 

Ultimately, the council voted 5-2 to reject the amendment due to concerns with how further use of the city’s fund balance could affect its bond rating. 

Kaenrath said the $200,000 ask is the beginning of city administration coming before the council with proposals. 

“We will have more coming forward, talking about engagement with our youth, recreational programming and prevention among other things,” Kaenrath said.

“We don’t want to be the Band-Aid in this,” Conley said. “We want to get to the root of what the issue is … We’re really trying to figure out what the gaps are in the system.”