Richland Hills highlights EMS contract, crime declines and a spike in auto thefts

Fire and police leaders used the State of the City to outline public-safety changes, trends and new programs.

Fire leadership reported that the fire department responded to just under 1,700 total emergencies in 2024 and that on Nov. 1, 2024 the city began a full-time ambulance contract with MedStar Mobile Healthcare. Fire officials said MedStar’s ambulance response times have generally been 9–11 minutes while fire first response typically arrives in four to five minutes; the fire department emphasized that first response provides critical on-scene patient assessment until ambulance arrival. "When seconds count we are there for you within that four to five minute range," a fire chief said.

The fire department also described a new community paramedic position to coordinate EMS and mental-health outreach, and a full-time fire inspector assigned to annual commercial-occupancy inspections.

Police Chief Kimberly Sylvester said department data show an overall 15% decrease in Part I crimes from 2023 to 2024 and a 45% decrease in burglaries, but she warned of a sizable rise in vehicle-related thefts: motor-vehicle burglaries and auto thefts increased sharply, with reported auto thefts rising from about 20 in 2023 to about 45 in 2024. "Please lock your cars at night and secure valuables," Sylvester urged residents.

Sylvester also reviewed shared services with neighboring cities (combined detention and dispatch centers) and crime-prevention programs including the Capture camera-registration program, neighborhood crime-watch outreach, Citizens Police Academy and outreach to BISD for school resource officer coordination.

Both chiefs said they will continue community outreach and programming aimed at prevention and response, and invited residents to follow up during the breakout sessions tonight.