Duluth Mayor Delays Fire/Police Combination Proposal
July 30, 2008 — Duluth Mayor Don Ness announced today that any possible plan to combine the city's police and fire departments has been delayed. Instead, the mayor said that a Public Safety study group will be organized to look at how the two departments can best serve the public. The group will consist of Duluth Chief Administrative Officer Lisa Potswald, Fire Chief John Strongitharm, Police Chief Gordon Ramsey, a representative from the city council and representatives from the police and fire unions. About a week ago, the news media reported that the city was studying the City of Kalamazoo, Michigan's Public Safety Department, which uses combination police officers/firefighters. Several officials from the police department had already gone to Michigan to look at the combined operation and representatives from the fire department were planning a similar trip. Those travel plans have now been cancelled. The Duluth firefighters' union was highly critical of the idea and voiced criticism because union officials were not included in the process. Mayor Ness said the study group would lead to improved communications between the city and labor unions.