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Westfield public-safety update: fire calls up and police step up ebike enforcement; two fire promotions announced
Summary
Fire Chief Rob Gayler reported a rise in calls (9% month-over-month; 14% year-to-date) and highlighted lower residential care facility calls; Police Chief Sean Keane reported 3,977 activities in April, nine ebike citations and two impounds, and rollout of a citizens-on-patrol program and an educational flyer for parents.
The Board of Public Works heard department reports May 27 showing rising emergency activity and focused enforcement on motorized ebike violations.
Rob Gayler, chief of the Westfield Fire Department, said April call volume was up 9% for the month and 14% year-to-date, and he projected the department could log about 6,000 runs by the end of the year if trends continue. Gayler noted a favorable decline in calls to residential care facilities, now 14.3% of total runs, and described several recent medical transports. He also announced two promotions—the city’s first instance of two females earning promotable ranks—naming Katie Davis (promoted to engineer) and Abby Pointer (promoted to lieutenant).
Sean Keane, Westfield police chief, reported 3,977 total activities in April and 1,916 calls for service, a 5% increase from April of the prior year. Keane said proactive patrols (foot and directed patrols) made up more than half of proactive activity and highlighted steps the department is taking on electric-bike and motorized vehicle issues: nine citations were issued in April for ebike-type violations and two ebikes were impounded. Keane said the department will deploy a citizens-on-patrol program (volunteers with radios as observers, not enforcement officers) and will distribute an educational flyer aimed at parents explaining what is legal and unsafe about certain devices.
Chiefs and board members discussed the public-safety and parental-education elements; the board requested a year-end estimate of taxpayer savings associated with certain operational changes discussed by the fire department.
What happens next: chiefs will continue enforcement and outreach, implement citizens-on-patrol as trained volunteers begin patrols, and report back with follow-up metrics and cost-savings calculations.
