Public Safety Council Committee Meeting - February 17, 2026
Public Safety Council Committee Meeting - February 17, 2026
The Public Safety Council Committee of Jonesboro met on February 17, 2026, at approximately 5:05 PM in the Municipal Center. The committee approved the previous meeting's minutes, advanced an ordinance on traffic signs and a resolution for fire department equipment purchases to the full City Council, and received a detailed presentation from Police Chief Rick Elliott on 2025 crime statistics. All votes were unanimous among the four members present, with two members absent.
Consent Calendar
- Approval of Minutes (MIN-26:010): The minutes from the January 20, 2026, meeting were approved by a motion from Chris Gibson, seconded by Janice Porter. The vote passed 4-0, with Chris Moore and LJ Bryant absent.
Discussion Items
- ORD-26:006 – Traffic Signs Ordinance: An ordinance to place various traffic signs at designated locations as determined by the Traffic Control Committee, specifically establishing no parking on either side of South Madison Street from Jefferson Avenue to Washington Avenue. A motion to recommend the ordinance to the full City Council was made by Chris Gibson, seconded by David McClain, and passed 4-0.
- RES-26:016 – Fire Department Equipment Purchase Resolution: A resolution to authorize the purchase of fire department safety and rescue equipment and amend the FY2026 fixed asset budget by $177,769.44. Equipment includes thermal imaging devices (Max Fire Seek and FirePRO 3000), extrication combi tools (Pantheon PCT 50), intake valves, batteries, and charging/mounting equipment. Fire Chief Marty Hamrick confirmed the purchases are upgrades, replacing outdated gas-powered units with more efficient battery-operated models. A motion to recommend to the full City Council was made by Chris Gibson, seconded by Kevin Miller, and passed 4-0.
- Other Business – Police Department Annual Report: Police Chief Rick Elliott presented the 2025 crime statistics. He reported that crimes against persons have remained consistent between 80 and 120 cases per year over the past 19 years, despite population growth. Crimes against property have declined from peaks in 2007 and 2020. Chief Elliott attributed the downward trends to community cooperation, the Real Time Crime Center, camera and license plate reader technology, and a recent $3.5 million federal grant for further upgrades. He shared a success story of AI camera technology helping locate a missing teenager in 10-degree weather. Councilmember David McClain asked about the decline and public perception of police; Chief Elliott noted that national anti-police sentiment has not been a major local issue, and the department focuses on community engagement and continuous improvement.
Public Comments
- No members of the public addressed the committee.
Key Outcomes
- Approved the minutes of the January 20, 2026, meeting.
- Recommended ORD-26:006 (traffic signs) to the full City Council.
- Recommended RES-26:016 (fire equipment purchase) to the full City Council.
- Received and discussed the 2025 police crime statistics and technology updates.
- Meeting adjourned by a motion from Chris Gibson, seconded by Kevin Miller, with a unanimous vote of 4-0.
Meeting Transcript
Okay, good afternoon, everybody. I'm showing 505. We're just a few minutes running late for public safety, but we're gonna go ahead and we're gonna call to order the public safety council committee for the city of Jonesboro. And first of all, on the agenda, we have roll call. If you'll just denote your attendance by pressing the button in front of you. Okay, showing we do have five, and that does give us a quorum, which is moving us into our next item on the agenda, our approval of minutes. Move to adopt unless any changes are noted. Second. Okay, I have a motion second on the approval of minutes from the previous meeting on Tuesday, January 20th, 2026. If you agree with those minutes as presented, if you will denote your vote on the device in front of you. That item does pass. Thank you, everybody. Bringing us to the next item on the agenda being new businesses, and we have a ordinance to be introduced today. That ordinance being ordinance 2606. An ordinance by the City of Jonesboro to place various traffic signs at designated locations as determined by the traffic control committee. Now therefore it be ordained by the City Council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, to make the following change as recommended by the traffic control committee. Establish no parking on either side of South Madison Street from Jefferson Avenue to Washington Avenue. Move it forward to full council. Second. I have a motion and a second to forward this ordinance on to full council. Do I have any questions or comments from anybody on the committee? Okay. Any from the staff in attendance? And any from the public intendants. Okay. Seeing none, I will entertain a vote on the ordinance as presented. Okay. And that item does pass. Thank you, everybody. Bringing up our next item on the agenda being resolutions to be introduced. And this particular resolution being resolution 26016. And I'm going to read this one in its entirety just because there is a um list of items that's on here, so I want to make sure that everybody gets to hear it its entirety. Um resolution 26016, a resolution to purchase fire department safety and rescue equipment and amend the FY 2026 budget. Whereas during the budgeting process, a need was identified to conduct a detailed inventory of fire department rescue equipment to address needs prioritized in the long-range Jonesboro Fire Department need. And whereas several items that would serve as forced multipliers were identified as a priority need for the department. And whereas the city administration and the Jonesboro Fire Department leadership request to amend the Jonesboro Fire Department fixed asset budget by a total of 177,769 dollars and 44 cents. Cost estimate plus 10% to account for taxes, shipping, and miscellaneous expenses, and allocate funding to purchase the following equipment. Two max fire seeker bundles, total estimate 12,698 dollars, 10 FirePro 300 cameras and hardware, total estimate $13,340. 10 TFT jumbo intake valves, total estimate 28,000, 7 Pantheon PCT 50 extraction combination tools, total estimate 105,000, 14 PBPA 2387 batteries, total estimate 11,591 dollars and sixteen cents, seven Patheon tool charging equipment units, total estimate seven hundred and ten dollars and ninety-two cents, and seven Python tool mounting equipment units total estimate at $6,429.36 cents. Whereas the above equipment will allow for more reliable and adaptable emergency rescue equipment operation for each fire station. And now there it be ordained in the resolve by the City of Council of the City Council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas, that section one of the FY 2026 Jonesboro Fire Department fixed asset budget is amended by 177,769 and 44 cents to purchase the listed above emergency response equipment. Section two, fire department administration is authorized to proceed with the purchase of additional equipment in accordance with the City of Jonesboro purchasing guidelines. And section three, the mayor Harold Copenhaver and the City Clerk April Leggett are hereby authorized by the City Council of the City of Jonesboro to execute all documents necessary to effectuate the above purchases pursuant to the city purchasing guidelines as stated above. All right. And I will entertain a motion to um forward the full counsel. So moved in the list of the end debate. Second. I have a motion as a second. Do I have any questions or any comments from anybody on the committee? Just one question, Mr.
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