Significant progress has been made to accomplishing the three focus areas of the Public Safety Sales Tax Initiative. 

Equipment – The new radio system has been in operation since late 2012 with remarkable success.  This new system is a huge step forward with officer safety being the goal.
All additional equipment purchases outlined in the Public Safety Sales Tax Initiative have been implemented including in-car camera upgrades and two new marked patrol vehicles. 

Personnel – All of the new personnel positions have been hired including the new deputy chief, radio specialist, evidence custodian and animal control officer.  Recruiting efforts were completed in the first quarter of 2013.

These new positions will help us reduce our response times to emergency and non-emergency calls; provide more on-duty officers in neighborhoods and retail locations and provide more hours to animal control and evidence.

Facilities – Currently, Treanor Architects is working with city staff to explore design options for the expansion and remodel of the Howard L. Brown Public Safety Building.
Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2014 with completion in 2015.

Blue Springs Voters approved the Public Safety Sales Tax in April 2011.  To learn more about the Public Safety Sales Tax Initiative, click here.

Revenues from the public safety sales tax are only be used for public safety purposes.  The tax cannot be used for other General Fund programs or services. 

The Public Safety Advisory Board, made up of Blue Springs citizens, is charged with oversight of the tax.  The Advisory Board makes regularly scheduled reports to the City Council on spending of funds collected by the tax and report on performance goals.  To see these reports, click here.