Police report shows decline in shots-fired calls; fire chief urges cancer screenings after national studies cited

At the March 3 meeting Michigan City police and fire chiefs presented monthly reports and flagged operational and occupational-health matters.

Police: The police chief reported 2,910 calls for service in February (down from January), 283 reports and 23 shots-fired calls. The chief said staff will provide ward-by-ward charts to help council members track trends and noted an increase in automatic expungements following a state law change that cleared a backlog of older dismissed cases.

Fire: Fire Chief Barrett Taylor reported 335 responses in February (239 medical calls, 16 hazardous situations, three possible structure fires) and reviewed reporting inconsistencies that complicate monthly totals. Chief Taylor underscored firefighter cancer risks: citing a NIOSH study and the International Agency for Research on Cancer classification, he noted firefighters have higher diagnosis and mortality rates and referenced recent federal recognition (Honor Our Fallen Heroes Act) that affects line-of-duty presumptions and benefits. He said roughly 2,200 screenings recently occurred in the state, with 20'30 early cancers detected, and urged council and staff to explore statewide screening and safer gear options.

Council members thanked both chiefs for data transparency and asked staff to share further details (San Antonio best-practices for proactive measures, screening program availability and potential state- or federal-level support). The item generated requests for follow-up but no formal council action at the meeting.

Next steps: Chiefs will provide the shot-by-ward chart and follow up with more information about screening programs, gear options and potential state-level support for firefighter health initiatives.