Public Safety is the paramount duty of the City.  Our police and fire personnel are first rate and should be recognized as such.  Through the voter approved Fire Facilities and Emergency Response Levy, the city has a state-of-the-art Emergency Operation Center, and will turn 32 fire stations throughout the city into modern, seismically secure facilities with expanded space for emergency response vehicles and equipment.  

From mid-2005 to 2012, the Police Department will add 154 officers, a 25% increase in the patrol force.  Our Neighborhood Policing Plan will allow for faster response times, regardless of the time of day, day of the week, or season of the year; a stronger police presence when responding; and a smarter use of patrol resources to focus on persistent problems that can affect quality of life in the city.  We are giving our first-responders the personnel, training and equipment to do these difficult jobs, to ensure accountability for actions taken, and to help us achieve our goal of being the most prepared city in the United States for natural or man-made disasters.