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Lewiston Council OKs $200,000 for expanded patrols after months of shootings; proposal for second drone fails
Summary
After public testimony urging both enforcement and prevention, the Lewiston City Council approved a $200,000 supplemental appropriation for police overtime to fund foot and bike patrols and a mobile resource unit; a $55,000 amendment to buy a second automated drone failed 2–5 amid debate over surveillance and fund balance use.
The Lewiston City Council voted unanimously to transfer $200,000 from the city’s salary-reserve account to fund expanded police overtime for foot and bicycle patrols and a mobile resource unit, a response the administration said is aimed at an uptick in shootings this year. Administrator Bridal Cameron said Lewiston has experienced 20 shooting events in the first seven months of the year and called the funding “the beginning, not the end” of a broader strategy that will include prevention and legislative advocacy.
Chief Carly Conley described a repeat-offender pattern among juvenile-involved shootings and said the department is down roughly a dozen officers; she said the overtime dollars would allow targeted patrols and a mobile unit where they are most needed. "We need the overtime in order to really hyper-focus on this situation," Conley said. Councilors pressed staff on funding sources and whether unspent salary lines or drug-forfeiture funds could be used instead.
Councilor Martel offered an amendment to add $55,000 from fund balance to buy a second automated, self-deploying drone as a "force-multiplying" technology. The amendment was debated for more than an hour and failed 2–5. Chief Conley said the department already expects to receive one self-deploying drone in the coming weeks and that a second would increase city coverage; opponents, including Councilor Chittum and others, urged waiting to evaluate the first drone’s integration and raised fiscal concerns about dipping into fund balance.
Public commenters were split. Several residents and downtown business leaders said visible patrols had improved safety downtown and urged immediate funding. Other speakers and organizers asked the council to pair enforcement spending with sustained investment in youth programs, community violence intervention, and coordinated services. "Enforcement alone does not break the cycle," Amran Osman said, urging investment in prevention and youth opportunities.
The motion to appropriate $200,000 passed by roll-call vote 7–0. Council members said they expect the appropriation to fund patrols for the remainder of the fiscal year and emphasized the larger plan will include prevention, legislative outreach to the state delegation and efforts to reduce the "revolving door" for repeat juvenile offenders.
