Public safety is a priority that remains at the forefront of our efforts as a city. The men and women who serve our community are skilled and dedicated, and we are grateful for the services they provide.

We were pleased to provide additional tools for them to do their job this year, especially Truck 121, a new ladder truck. In 2011, we also purchased two new ambulances to replace aging equipment. Those will be placed in service by July of this year. During 2011, our fire department responded to more than 2,000 emergency calls, and more than 1,700 were for emergency medical services. Their average response time on those calls was under 8 minutes.

While Boulder City’s police officers do a superb job of protecting our residents, their success in making Boulder City one of the safest cities in Nevada would not be possible without their strong partnership with the community. According to the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reports from 2006 through 2010, crime in our city has dropped significantly. Violent crimes, which include murder, rape, robbery and aggravated assault dropped by 26 percent. Property crimes, which include burglary, theft, and motor vehicle theft, also dropped dramatically and are now 53 percent lower than they were five years ago. Our low crime rate is particularly impressive compared to surrounding cities.

During the road-widening construction on US 93 in the summer and fall of 2011, a total of 554 truck drivers were cited for driving on the roadway during the times when they were prohibited. Those citations generated over $100,000 in revenue for the City. Dispatchers received over 54,000 phone calls, resulting in their dispatching police and rescue to over 37,000 calls for service. Our two animal control officers responded to almost 4,500 calls for service.

Although we are a small city, it is very important that our public safety officers are well-trained and equipped. Public safety will continue to be a priority for the City Council. I want to thank both the Fire Chief and Police Chief for the work their departments provide to this community.

Visit Roger at http://www.bcnv.org/CityCouncil/Tobler.asp.