Fitchburg Committee of the Whole Meeting: Fire and Police Department Updates

The Committee of the Whole met on July 22, 2026, at 6:32 PM. The meeting included updates from the Fire Department and the Police Department on staffing challenges, operational changes, and proposed technology investments. Key themes included police staffing shortages, the impact of reduced fire apparatus staffing, and a proposed real-time information center (Arctic project) funded partly through private donations.

Consent Calendar

• The minutes of the June 24, 2026, Committee of the Whole meeting were approved unanimously (motion by Jetzer, second by Laduce).
• Roll call was taken with Alders Dancler and Leper absent with excuses; all others present.

Public Comments & Testimony

• No public appearances were made for non-agenda items.

Discussion Items

Fire Department Update (Chief Scott Sarver)

• Training Container Project: Shipping containers for the new training facility arrived under budget; fabrication and planning are ongoing with a goal of October 2026 completion. The project is largely being built by department staff during duty time.
• Grants and Funding:
  • The innovation (consolidation) grant application continues; the department is providing data for the consolidation study.
  • EMS funding grant will be pursued again next year; recent pre-cancer screenings (18 scans) were completed but grant funds could not be used for that activity.
  • Leary and Firehouse Subs grants are being applied for to replace expensive equipment.
• Collective Bargaining: The arbitration decision favored the city's proposal; a written agreement is expected by early August. An oral consensus was reached with Local 311 on specific contract terms and terminology; written form to follow.
• Staffing Philosophy Change: Effective July 1, 2026, the department eliminated overtime to fill the fourth seat on the engine. During the first 15 days, 56% of shifts had four-person staffing on both engines. Chief Sarver expects this percentage to average below 50% going forward due to attrition of part-time (LTE) firefighters. Challenges include mutual aid responses requiring four-person crews, EMS driver coverage, and morale concerns.
• Impact and Future: The department is working with Madison Fire on an unofficial mutual aid agreement for structure fires. Discussions about regional collaboration and a potential Safer Grant (federal staffing assistance) are underway. Chief Sarver noted the need for advocacy at the state level for public safety funding.
• Council Questions:
  • The Mayor asked about the Chief's first year; Chief Sarver reported positive momentum and asked for continued communication about expectations.
  • Ald. Jetzer asked about staffing trends; Chief Sarver confirmed the 56% figure may drop further due to LTE turnover (one went to career job, one on military deployment, one on wildland deployment; five in onboarding).
  • Ald. Laduce asked about the impact of hiring additional career firefighters; Chief Sarver explained that new hires take time to become qualified drivers or officers, so the effect would not be immediate.
  • Ald. Frazier questioned budget adjustments for overtime and the ratio of career to paid-on-call staff; Chief Sarver noted ongoing conversations about the optimal mix.
  • Ald. Reichstadt shared observations from a recent ride-along, noting unquantified service impacts such as no one left to watch equipment during medical calls and reduced training opportunities.

Police Department Update (Deputy Chief Matt Leh, Captain Drew McCarthy, Captain Brown)

• Staffing Challenges: Fitchburg has 1.47 officers per 1,000 residents, well below the regional standard of 1.8. This places Fitchburg last among 15 Wisconsin cities of similar size (30,000–50,000) for staffing ratio, while experiencing a relatively high violent crime rate. The department is short 12 officers; projecting a conservative 1% population growth would increase the shortage to 16 officers in four years.
• Past Mitigation Strategies: Minimum night shift staffing was reduced from 4 to 3 officers in 2023; a COPS grant for up to 5 officers was awarded but cannot be accepted due to budget constraints; the dispatch center was disbanded in favor of Dane County Communications; three officer positions were converted to two supervisors; response types (crashes, thefts from autos, alarms, animal complaints) were reduced.
• Proposed Solution – Arctic Project (Real-Time Information Center): The department presented a three-component technology package:
  1. Peregrine: Data analytics platform to unify disparate systems (CAD, RMS, digital evidence) into a single search interface, saving staff time on research and reporting.
  2. Axon Fusis: Real-time situational awareness system integrating community-owned cameras (via registration or integration) and allowing officers to see incidents before arrival. Privacy protections include partner control, audit logs, and no 24/7 monitoring.
  3. Drone as First Responder (DFR): Drones deployed from automated docks that can arrive on scene within 90 seconds. Projected metrics: 11% of calls cleared by one drone; with three drones, 50% on-scene first and 40% cleared by drone. Drones have thermal imaging, transparency dashboards, and all flight logs are public.
• Additional Technology: Upgraded body cameras with real-time translation (60 languages), supervisor live feed, GPS, and automatic activation on weapon draw. Squad cameras and integration with future systems (traffic cameras, LPR) are also planned.
• Cost and Funding: The annual cost for the three components (one drone, Fusis, Peregrine) is approximately $150,000 – roughly the cost of one officer with benefits. The Fitchburg Law Enforcement Foundation is fundraising to cover five years; nearly three years of funding have already been secured. A letter of support from Pro Mega Corporation was read. Additional drones would cost about $60,000 each per year. An eight-year contract with fixed pricing and termination clauses (if funding falls through) is proposed. The department expressed willingness to forgo two officer positions to fund the full Arctic suite.
• Next Steps: Begin Peregrine trial immediately (6-month test); target January 2027 for Fusis and DFR launch. The contract will be reviewed by the city attorney, and a budget amendment will be needed to accept donations after January 1, 2027.
• Council Questions:
  • Ald. Jetzer raised concerns about officer misuse (citing Flock LPR example); Captain McCarthy and Deputy Chief Leh explained audit trails, role-based permissions, and termination as deterrents.
  • Ald. Reichstadt asked about policy for auditing camera and drone use; Deputy Chief Leh committed to monthly audits during the initial phase and noted transparency dashboards.
  • Ald. Laduce asked about data retention and cloud storage; Axon representative confirmed unlimited cloud storage and that the city owns the data. Peregrine rep Tim Shriver noted the company is U.S.-based, founder-owned, and works with 450 agencies.
  • The Mayor asked about drone locations; decision will be collaborative with city leadership, prioritizing city-owned property with power and Ethernet.
  • Ald. Frazier asked about compatibility with other municipalities; Brandon Jones (Axon) said additional agencies could join with cost savings but each must maintain independent systems.
  • Ald. Jetzer asked about cost increases; Jones confirmed fixed pricing for the contract term. The drone replacement (mid-contract) was explained as necessary due to battery degradation.
  • Concerns about hidden costs were raised; the department noted minimal upfront hardware costs (~$5,000 for Ethernet) and that capital expenses are paid in year one.

Key Outcomes

• Fire Department: No formal decisions were made; the update was informational. The department will continue pursuing grants and implementing the staffing change. A resolution supporting legislative change for public safety funding may be drafted by the Dane County Fire Chiefs Association.
• Police Department: The council expressed support for the concept but requested more details on funding, privacy protections, and contract terms. Next steps include:
  • City attorney review of the proposed eight-year contract with Axon/SkyDio.
  • Consideration of a budget amendment after January 1, 2027 to accept foundation donations.
  • Continued evaluation of Peregrine via a six-month proof-of-concept.
  • Potential application for federal technology grants (subject to council comfort level with federal cooperation).
• General: The next Committee of the Whole meeting is scheduled for August 26, 2026. The meeting adjourned at 9:02 PM.