Neosho fire, police chiefs report declines in calls and continuing training efforts

Neosho’s fire and police departments presented year‑end reports to the City Council Monday, showing declines in overall calls for service alongside expanded training and community outreach.

Fire Chief Williams told the council the department responded to 2,570 calls this year, roughly 134 fewer than the previous year, and highlighted new incident reporting by time of day as well as increased training: "About 225 hours per person this year for a total of 5,850 hours," he said. The department also launched an online burn‑permit application and expanded community education events, including a new public‑education mascot called "Fire Pup," funded by local donations.

The police chief reported 17,467 calls for service (a reduction of 75 calls from the prior year), a roughly 8% reduction in crimes against persons and property, and a Part 1/2 crime closure rate of 71%. The department reported 3,302 traffic citations, including 74 DWIs, 257 traffic accidents, and 221 cases forwarded to county prosecutors.

Council members asked about the causes of fluctuations in call volume. Fire staff attributed part of the variance to changes in dispatch classifications and decisions about responding to certain "sick person" calls; staff said the department recently resumed some of those responses after working with the ambulance district. Police staff noted no major violent crime spikes and credited stable enforcement and investigation practices.

Both chiefs invited council members to follow up with detailed questions and offered to provide further breakdowns in future reports.