Springdale fire and police report steady service levels, new equipment and community programs

Fire Chief Anthony Stanley described the department's staffing and programs, saying the city runs more EMS calls than fire incidents and that the department has roughly 18 full-time firefighter-paramedics supplemented by part-time staff. "We make a lot of runs... over the last 3 years, we've made almost a total of 14,000 runs," Stanley said, and he highlighted training investments, a new ambulance placed in service last May and a replacement tower truck that the city expects later this year.

Stanley listed community programs that connect firefighters with residents: Blaze Vikings school visits at two elementary schools, car-seat-installation clinics, CPR/first-aid training for residents and free smoke-detector installations funded by partners such as the Red Cross.

Police Chief Tom Butler said the department responded to roughly 22,000 calls for service last year (about 60 per day), conducted nearly 1,600 directed patrols in businesses and made 948 arrests. Butler noted low frequencies of force: "Out of 948 arrests, we only had to use force... 16 times." He described expanded community-policing efforts including school security support, increased officer-initiated activity since 2023 and technology upgrades: a MobileCom contract for upgraded body cameras and expanded drone operations with 11 pilots.

Why it matters: the public-safety presentations outlined resource needs, current equipment investments and community-facing programs that affect resident safety and service quality. Chiefs encouraged residents to engage with safety programs and to contact departments with questions.

Next steps: continue recruitment to fill vacancies, complete apparatus replacement orders, and sustain community outreach efforts.