PORTLAND — They move in pairs, carrying the chirp of police radio chatter with them up and down the city sidewalks. They might pause to scan a bus stop, greet a passerby or pick up litter. Naloxone, pepper spray, gloves and a container for discarded sharps are packed in their pockets.

They aren’t police officers, but these uniformed personnel — dubbed “constables” — are part of a new program in the Portland Police Department’s community policing division. The five employees were hired this year to patrol and maintain the city’s public areas and parks, according to the police department.

The constables start their day at the department on Middle Street for morning roll call with officers and split up to high-traffic areas like Congress Street and the Old Port. They typically work from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. at a starting rate of $21.46 per hour and are stationed at the agency’s new community policing office at 443 Congress St. Police officials say the program is funded through salary savings from vacancies within the department.

As they walk, the constables stop to disperse groups who are loitering, offer water and hand warmers to people in need, and monitor and report issues on the city’s See Click Fix platform.

Constables don’t have the power to make arrests, don’t carry firearms and don’t respond to emergencies. But police Chief Mark Dubois said their presence can alleviate some strain on officers.

“The program allows trained constables to handle quality-of-life concerns, ordinance issues, public engagement, and other non-emergency matters that may previously have required a sworn officer response,” Dubois said in a written statement. “That, in turn, allows police officers to remain available for higher-priority calls, emergencies, investigations and proactive patrol efforts.”

Though the new program is still evolving, this group of constables has received training on defensive tactics, deescalation, first aid, report writing and city ordinances. They’ll participate in bike patrol training soon, said Marty Ney, a retired Portland police officer who oversees the program.

Lizzy Kampsen and Aliyah Yates, constables who were patrolling downtown Congress Street last week, paused along their route several times to check in with people lingering on the sidewalks and in Congress Square Park.

They asked a man if he planned to pick up a meal at a food distribution service on Cotton Street and listened as he shared stories about his life. Another man who recognized them asked if they’d bring him hand warmers next time they see him.

“We want to present more of an approachable, laid-back atmosphere,” Ney said.

Ney retired from the police department in 2022 after serving for 22 years. He said he came back to work to run the program, which he described as an improved version of the department’s past cadet program.

He said the constables are also building relationships with business owners, several of whom have expressed concerns to city officials about safety in Monument Square and other frequented downtown spots. Some business owners have asked constables to monitor their storefronts and help with issues such as constant loitering.

Ney said he hopes the program can expand in the future. But for now, he says, the city “hit the jackpot” with the constables they hired.