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Police and fire chiefs report staffing, cameras and fireworks enforcement at Atwater council meeting
Summary
Police and fire chiefs presented quarterly updates covering incident volumes, camera and radio upgrades, staffing changes, and fireworks enforcement; chiefs reported expanded citations and a coordinated seizure of 527 pounds of illegal fireworks turned over to state fire authorities.
Atwater's police and fire chiefs delivered quarterly reports on July 14, detailing public-safety activity, staffing changes and recent enforcement actions related to illegal fireworks.
Police Chief (reporting to the council) said department statistics for April'June showed 10,473 total incidents and 6,141 calls for service; detectives have benefited from recently purchased interview-room cameras paid for with Measure B funds. The chief said license-plate-reader cameras have assisted investigations and that the countywide radio upgrade to a digital system is expected next year. He noted staffing shifts including promotions and vacancies and said the department is recruiting for dispatch and officer positions.
In response to council questions about July 4, the chief reported 73 calls for fireworks on July 4 and said the Nailum app helped identify problem areas; citations were issued and the number of citations this year has increased compared with prior years. "The Nailum app was being monitored by dispatch, and that was successful in helping us identify problem areas," he said.
Battalion Chief Josh Randall reported the fire department logged 2,243 calls year to date across two stations and had used a Lucas automatic compression device 12 times, with three patients discharged from hospital after its use. He said the fire marshal's office generated $17,230 in revenue from inspections during the quarter and described a recent interagency operation that seized 527 pounds of illegal fireworks; the seized material was turned over to the state fire marshal for disposal.
Councilmembers and residents praised public-safety personnel for their work on the Fourth of July events, asked for more enforcement in specific neighborhoods and for data on citations and convictions tied to fireworks citations. The chiefs agreed to provide additional detail on animal-services charges and fireworks-citation follow-up for future reports.
The council did not take formal policy action on the reports but directed staff to return with requested clarifications and additional data.
