Fire and police report quarterly activity; officials note response‑time clusters and stepped‑up fireworks enforcement

The fire chief delivered the April–June 2026 quarterly report, noting 1,792 year‑to‑date calls, 1,070 responses from Station 41 and 722 from Station 42. The Lucas device was used 31 times with eight noted survivals; multifamily residential inspections numbered 101 and school inspections 15. The chief said the type‑1 engine delivery remains on track for December–January and staff are planning apparatus replacement and hose procurement. He reported 160 responses that exceeded eight minutes between Jan. 1 and June 30 (110 of those were code‑3 responses) and attributed delays to units being engaged on other incidents, mutual‑aid deployments and peak‑period traffic.

Council members asked whether the response‑time clusters had geographic patterns useful for siting a future fire station; staff said the city’s automatic‑aid agreement with Merced County has reduced long delays in some northern areas but that planning for a new station will depend on grants or other funding.

Police Chief reported department statistics for the same quarter: 9,770 total incidents, 6,338 calls for service, 106 traffic collisions, 212 arrests and 476 citations. The department recognized Officer Roberto Vargas and dispatcher Faith Avila for county awards and announced Lieutenant Bill Nowetzky will become police chief effective Sept. 1. The chief said the department issued or mailed 18 citations related to illegal fireworks during Independence Day enforcement, is coordinating with Cal Fire and Merced PD for mutual aid, and expects a county citation task force to support school‑period enforcement in late August.

Both departments emphasized interagency cooperation (Cal Fire, Merced PD, county resources), code‑enforcement support, and the importance of continued monitoring of response times and equipment needs. Council thanked staff and volunteers for July 4 public‑safety operations.