LEWISTON — Volunteers have been supplementing Lewiston’s police force for several years — answering telephones, filing paperwork and sitting at desks to free up officers for other jobs.

“The more you look, the more uses you can find for volunteers,” Mayor Larry Gilbert said Tuesday. “They can do so much, and all we have to do is ask them.”

The city is officially asking. Gilbert unveiled the Volunteers in Public Service program at a Tuesday morning news conference. It’s modeled after the police department’s own programs but seeks to find volunteers for every city department.

“We have a whole bulleted list of jobs that they can perform,” said Dot Perham-Whittier, who will be the coordinator for the city’s volunteer program. Most involve clerical tasks: filing, document imaging, cleaning and answering telephones.

But Gilbert said he had more in mind, ranging from grand jobs such as programing software for city departments to simple ones like repainting fire hydrants.

City Administrator Ed Barrett said other departments have used volunteers before, including the library and the Recreation department.

“But those have been decentralized programs,” Barrett said. “This will make it easier to get volunteers to the jobs where they are needed.”

The city created a page on its Web site, at www.ci.lewiston.me.us/administration/mvp/index.htm, with more information and copies of a volunteer application that can be downloaded, printed and sent in to City Hall. Perham-Whittier said most city offices will have copies of the form, as well.

Volunteers will be interviewed and screened and will attend an orientation to learn about human resources and other rules. City department heads will fill out forms requesting volunteers.

“It also lets the department heads realize how they can use volunteers,” Barrett said.

Gilbert was quick to point out the new volunteers are there to help city employees. “We have staff now — paid staff, and that’s not changing,” he said.

staylor@sunjournal.com