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Mayor’s briefing: 2025 city service totals, consumer-safety tips and animal-shelter update
Summary
The mayor shared 2025 service statistics, the Wichita Police Department offered safety tips for online marketplaces, the fire department urged caution with sparklers and indoor pyrotechnics, and Animal Services updated shelter intake and reunification efforts.
At the mayor’s briefing the city released several 2025 service totals and public-safety reminders for residents preparing events and online transactions.
The mayor said Wichita Fire Department responded to over 62,000 incidents in 2025 (compared with about 59,000 the prior year) and Public Works filled more than 81,000 potholes (compared with about 74,000 the prior year). The Wichita Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport handled roughly 1.7 million passengers, library circulation exceeded 1.9 million items, the municipal ID program issued 1,385 IDs, the Housing Choice Voucher program served about 3,800 households (about 7,541 individuals), SeeClickFix logged 9,194 reports, and Wichita Police responded to over 235,000 calls for service.
Officer Chris Goupilon, the Wichita Police Department’s public information officer, advised people buying and selling on Facebook Marketplace to meet at police substations (addresses listed at the mayor’s briefing), prefer daylight transactions or meet before 9 p.m., bring a companion, compare listings across sellers, and avoid sending personal financial information or paying with Cash Apps or gift/reloadable cards. "If the price is too good to be true, it's probably too good to be true," he said.
Battalion Chief Jose Okeidis cited an overseas New Year's Eve fire that killed and injured attendees and drew two local lessons: treat sparklers and similar items as serious fire hazards (sparklers can reach high temperatures) and follow permitting and inspection rules for indoor pyrotechnics; he noted the city ordinance cited in the briefing allows sparklers only during June 27–July 5 fireworks season and urged attendees to note exits and evacuation routes.
Shelter Manager Emily Hurst said a preliminary call-for-service figure for Animal Services was earlier reported as 11,000 but currently looks closer to 14,000; she confirmed about 9,200 animals passed through the shelter in 2025. For December the shelter reported 660 intakes: 440 dogs (104 reunited with owners) and 207 cats (11 reunited). Hurst said the shelter will offer microchip clinics and work with rescue partners such as the Kansas Humane Society to improve reunifications.
During a question about nationwide protest activity, the Wichita Police Department said it was monitoring local and national developments and would work to ensure public safety while protecting the constitutional right to lawfully assemble.
The briefing closed with the mayor encouraging residents to complete the Polco budget survey by the end of the week; Polco will evaluate results and present them to the council in February.
