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Fire adds staff, seeks second station; police expand community strike team and camera strategy
Summary
Fire officials said expanded staffing tied to the 66‑hour Cal Fire contract brought the department to 21 firefighters and that planning is underway to assess a western station site; police said they are forming a proactive community strike team, expanding LPR/camera coverage and recruiting to fill patrol and detective vacancies.
Fire and police department leaders used the workshop to summarize recent staffing increases, equipment purchases and near‑term capital or personnel requests.
Fire: The fire chief reported the department increased staffing to 21 firefighters following the 66‑hour Cal Fire contract, which improved coverage and reduced fatigue for on‑duty crews. The department also described progress on apparatus procurement and equipment grants: staff said a new engine purchase ordered in the prior two years will arrive within 12 months and that grant applications may fund a ladder and a second new engine.
Chiefs also highlighted a newly purchased rescue support vehicle with a small boat and utility bed; the vehicle was used in recent flood responses and, according to staff, generated OES reimbursement for mutual aid rescues in other jurisdictions.
Second station planning: Fire leadership and staff said they had authorized a site assessment for a western public safety facility and anticipated a summer assessment report that will inform whether converting the Challenger/Norton Ave site to a compliant facility is feasible. “We're gonna have that done by summer and then we'll be able to decide,” the chief said.
Police: The police chief described a “community strike team” (CST) that will focus on proactive foot and bike patrols and neighborhood outreach rather than reactive calls. The department also reported progress on in‑car patrol cameras, license plate readers and explored 24‑hour park camera solutions; the chief said LPR and shots‑detection systems have been useful but that staff wanted to reallocate some recurring costs into fixed camera systems in parks and high‑vandalism locations.
Why it matters: Public safety staffing and equipment directly affect response times, coverage for annexation and the city’s ability to address street‑level quality‑of‑life issues. Fire staff said a westside station will shorten response times for new development and suggested a phased annexation approach that matches service capacity.
Ending: The two departments asked the council to support planned capital purchases and staffing adjustments in the upcoming budget cycle and to continue coordination on the westside station assessment and CST recruitment.
