Public Safety is: Time Critical, Labor Intensive and Highly Technical
We need more police and firefighter/medics to keep up with the growing number of 911 calls.
Our police department is generally the only agency available to respond to any public safety call, and our fire department is the only staffed agency available to respond to both fire and emergency medical (ambulance) calls.
FIRE/EMS
Fire/EMS calls have increased 60% over the last 10 years.
POLICE
Police 911 calls are up over the last 10 years, driving down police capacity to work other crime by 30%.
- The opioid crisis has reached an unprecedented peak.
- The drug laws in Washington impose a significant burden on local government.
- Law enforcement responds to all drug-related matters to ensure the safety of firefighters and emergency responders.
- Due to the expanding population, there arises a requirement for the establishment of a 6th patrol district.
Since 2021, crime has increased:
| Crimes against Persons ▲ 13% | Property Crimes ▲ 29% | Society Crimes ▲ 50% |
We need more police and firefighter/medics available for every call.
FIRE/EMS
- In 2022, a total of 10,602 emergency calls were made for fire and medical assistance.
- We need at least 4 firefighter/medics for every serious medical emergency or to enter a structure fire to search for survivors.
- Rapid response is critical to save lives.
- By industry standards for comparable cities, we should have 14-19 firefighters on duty.
POLICE
- Many individual 911 calls require at least 4 police officers to safely respond, including for detailed reporting of domestic violence situations, de-escalation, or apprehension of suspects.
Bremerton is proud to be a safe and healthy community. Let’s keep it that way.
Effective response to medical, fire, and police calls is crucial to the health and safety of our community!
- Investment in our public safety agencies is necessary for our quality of life.
- Our first responders are always there for us in our greatest time of need. Let’s help them help us!
Revenue from the levy will be spent exclusively on providing better public safety staffing. The levy would add:
- 8 firefighter/medics and an additional response unit 24/7, which would provide additional fire/medic personnel 24 hours a day.
- 8 police officers to ensure better coverage 24 hours a day.