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St. Anthony police chief briefs Falcon Heights council on department growth and 2025 clearance rate
Summary
Chief Spiess told the Falcon Heights City Council on April 22 that the St. Anthony Police Department has grown to 26 full‑time officers and reported a 42% investigative clearance rate in 2025; he outlined recruitment, training and community programs the department is pursuing.
Chief Spiess of the St. Anthony Police Department presented the department’s annual report to the Falcon Heights City Council on April 22, describing notable staff growth and program priorities.
Spiess said the department has grown from a single officer in its early history to 26 full‑time officers, plus a citizen service officer and cadet program, and three full‑time civilian support staff. He told the council the investigative unit achieved a 42% clearance rate in 2025 and that the department recorded 260 documented community engagement opportunities in Falcon Heights.
Spiess outlined the department’s priorities: mandated and supplemental training (the department reported 100% compliance), increased community engagement through social media and outreach, multifaceted recruitment strategies including grant‑supported hiring pathways, and wellness programming for officers. He said the department is pursuing a therapy dog program, seeking funding for youth safety camps, and considering a public safety facility renovation to support operations and retention.
On technology and operations, Spiess described an expanded camera program with standardized equipment, a new video camera system, a drone program used under specific guidelines (including reporting to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension), and other tools the department has used for missing‑person searches and investigations.
Linehan (staff) and councilmembers did not record extended questioning or formal action linked to the presentation in the provided transcript. The department report was presented under the meeting’s presentations agenda item; no formal vote was recorded on the report.
