Administration

Public Safety Chief: Karianne Thomas
Public Safety Assistant Chief (Fire Administration/Finance): Ryan Tibbets
Public Safety Assistant Chief (Operations): Vernon Coakley
Public Safety Assistant Chief (Investigations): David Boysen
Public Safety Assistant Chief (Strategic Planning): Jeffrey VanderWiere
Phone: 269-337-8123

The primary mission of the Administrative Division is to lead, guide, and manage all operational and support functions, tasks, and responsibilities of the organization to ensure our three primary goals are accomplished, which are:

1. Reduce crime
2. Build and maintain trust
3. Provide the most efficient, effective, and professional Police, Fire and EMS services available

Accomplishing these goals requires Public Safety to focus on six key areas:

1. Enforcement and investigation of criminal activity

• Targeted enforcement in high crime areas
• KVET drug enforcement focused on neighborhoods
• CID – aggressive investigations
• Engaged and informed patrol operations based on current crime information
• CID – focus on career criminals

2. Blight reduction in targeted neighborhoods to improve quality of life

• Broken Windows Theory – addressing petty crime and low-level anti-social behavior, resulting in prevention of major crime
• Junk auto removal
• Street and trash cleaning
• Increased street lighting
• Code enforcement

3. On-going training of departmental personnel

• Use of Force (Subject control)
• Mental health awareness training/Crisis Intervention training
• Fire tower utilization exposing officers to scenario based training
• Computerized video interactive use of force decision making training
• EMS – Medical first responder training
• Cultural awareness training
• Succession planning/leadership

4. Community Interaction

• KDPS Youth Academy
• Citizens Police Academy
• Monthly neighborhood meetings
• Quarterly neighborhood President’s meeting
• Weekly neighborhood youth initiatives
• Public schools interaction
• Foot patrol every day by all officers in all neighborhoods
• Fire prevention and awareness
• Radio programs updating residents on new programs

5. Internal process review, updating and development

• Policy review and updating
• Promotional process
• Hiring process
• Computerized statistics to ensure timely crime data is disseminated
• Field training program
• Use of Force policy/review
• Website development
• Insurance Services Organization (ISO) updating to improve fire protection classification

6. Developing and maintaining strong community partnerships

• Citizen’s Appeal Board
• Douglass Community Association
• Boys & Girls Club
• NAACP
• ISAAC
• Public Services
• CPD & D
• Neighborhood Association
• Kalamazoo Public Schools
• Parks & Recreation
• KCSD, KTPD, PPD, WMU
• Red Cross
• KPSA
• KPSOA
• Other fire departments
• KPEP
• Feds (DEA, ATF, FBI)