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Highland public safety report: police and fire calls rise; K‑9 and code cases up
Summary
Public Safety Director Carole Widman told the council that police calls rose 28.6% to 6,243 in 2025 while felony cases dropped; the Fire Department saw a 22% increase to 458 calls; Building & Zoning reported a 34% increase in workload.
Public Safety Director Carole Widman gave a condensed overview of Highland’s 2025 Annual Public Safety Report on March 16, telling the council that calls for service across departments rose significantly last year.
Widman said the police department responded to 6,243 calls in 2025, a 28.6% increase over the prior year, even as the number of felony cases declined. She noted the K‑9 unit was deployed 28 times during the year. The Fire Department experienced its highest year on record with 458 calls, a 22% increase, and EMS continued to adapt after structural changes while providing most services inside Highland (98% of calls originated in the city). Building and Zoning/Code Enforcement reported a 34% workload increase, driven by permit issuance and enforcement activity.
Mayor Hemann asked about hospital transfer calls since a March 1 contract; EMS Operations Manager Stephanie Nicklin said the city is averaging two to three transfers per day and that the transfer unit has also taken some 911 calls. Fire Chief Chris Straub told the council that the new fire truck is nearly ready for service.
Widman framed the increases as evidence of greater reliance on public safety services while emphasizing training and community focus: “We make sure the community is at the forefront of what we do,” she said.
The council heard the overview as an informational presentation; no formal action was taken on the report at the March 16 meeting.
