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Minnetonka chiefs report progress on public‑safety master plan; drones and station staffing highlighted
Summary
Police and fire officials said recent investments—expanded staffing, an RTOC, Axon records management and a Drones‑First Response program—have improved response metrics; council asked for more analysis linking station or staffing investments to measurable 90th‑percentile response targets.
Police Chief Scott Boardman and Fire Chief Kevin Fox gave a detailed update on the city’s public‑safety master plan and related operational changes during the April 20 study session. Boardman said the department has been evaluating technology and staffing investments—most notably the real‑time operations center (RTOC) and the Axon public‑safety suite—and preparing to flip the new records management system (RMS) live in May. He also reported the department had secured potential congressional reimbursement for the RMS of about $965,000, pending the city’s accounting processes.
Chief Fox described fire‑department initiatives tied to the CityGate study: more training for light‑rail incidents, plans to hire additional full‑time firefighters over the next several years, new low‑acuity medical protocols to reduce time on scene when ambulance transport is the appropriate next step, and equipment investments to address tunnel, rail and technical rescues. “We’re looking at potentially adding paramedics on duty…to start some of those more advanced treatments prior to ambulance arrival,” Fox said.
Both chiefs emphasized a data‑driven approach. Deputy Chief Derek Metzger briefed the council on service‑level objectives adopted last year: the department measures 90th‑percentile performance, with targets such as first EMS unit in six minutes (90th percentile) and an effective response force for structure fires of 17 firefighters on scene within 11 minutes 30 seconds. Metzger showed six‑month before‑and‑after data tied to staffing Station 5 through August 2025 that demonstrated reduced average and 90th‑percentile response times in the areas served by that station.
The council also heard results from the Drones‑First Response (DFR) pilot. Boardman said the drone program—staffed Monday–Friday daytime hours—had produced approximately 504 flights since deployment and that drones have been first on scene roughly two‑thirds of the time during staffed hours, providing critical situational awareness for both police and fire. He described cases where drone video helped locate missing persons and direct crews to casualties faster.
Council members probed several operational questions: whether ambulance provider changes could affect the city, whether drone use shortens response times or primarily reduces personnel needs, what the fiscal tradeoffs are between station builds and hiring, and whether electric pumpers or phased turnout‑gear replacements should be pursued. Chiefs and staff were candid about constraints: lead times for apparatus are long (multi‑year), turnout gear costs have risen sharply (from roughly $2,500 per set to about $6,000 per set), and maintaining paid‑on‑call staffing remains challenging.
Why it matters: the plan drives near‑term staffing and capital choices with direct effects on emergency response capability and the budget. The council asked staff for additional analysis that ties specific investments—hiring, station replacements, or technology shifts—to measurable improvements in 90th‑percentile response goals.
