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Fountain police report staffing shortfall, mental‑health responses and new technology plans
Summary
Police Chief Cristiani told the City Council the department has 63 officers with four vacancies, ongoing recruitment goals, expanded behavioral‑health response (Beacon), new license‑plate readers (Flock) and equipment upgrades; Beacon diverted most people from arrest, officials said.
Chief Cristiani, Fountain's police chief, told the City Council on June 17 that the department has "63 officers, with 4 positions open" and outlined plans to change shift coverage and add personnel over the next two years.
The update centered on staffing, traffic and crime statistics, the department’s behavioral‑health response called Beacon, and new technology and equipment. "Beacon is still very, very valuable and will always be valuable," Cristiani said, describing the co‑response model in which a clinician rides with a trained officer.
The nut graf: staffing shortfalls, growing recovery of stolen vehicles with contraband, and Beacon’s role in diverting people from jail were presented as interconnected issues the department expects to address through recruitment, overtime and phased program investments.
Cristiani said staffing is a moving target: the department aims to recruit to a target of 67 officers, add a patrol…
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