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Mayor Heineman stated that he is excited about the project and believes there is general support <br />for it. He asked the City Council for consensus to proceed with the process, as Economic <br />Development Manager Sullivan presented. <br /> <br />Mayor Heineman noted that the next steps would proceed under the previously discussed <br />contingency regarding the bank’s approval of the financing. He concluded that with the City <br />Council's consensus, staff could proceed accordingly. <br /> <br />2.03: Discussion on Police Department Embedded Social Worker Pilot Program <br /> <br />Police Chief Bluml presented information to the City Council about a grant opportunity to fund a <br />mental health professional embedded within the Police Department. He explained that the purpose <br />of the position would be to help officers respond to the increasing number of mental health–related <br />calls for service. <br /> <br />Police Chief Bluml referenced data prepared by the City’s crime data analyst showing mental <br />health–related calls for service. He explained that in 2025, approximately 17 percent of total <br />reports involved mental health–related issues. He noted that this number is difficult to measure <br />precisely because many police calls include some mental health component. He also highlighted <br />that officers spent at least 160 hours on suicide-related calls alone in 2025. <br /> <br />Police Chief Bluml stated that he initially had concerns about creating this type of position within <br />the Police Department. He said he was worried that adding specialized services within the <br />department could require multiple additional professionals across different disciplines. However, <br />when the grant opportunity became available, he began researching similar programs in other <br />communities. <br /> <br />Police Chief Bluml said he contacted several law enforcement leaders for feedback, including the <br />Anoka County Sheriff, police chiefs from Coon Rapids, Blaine, Champlin, St. Cloud, and <br />Woodbury, as well as representatives from Brooklyn Park and Roseville Police Departments. He <br />reported that the feedback he received from these agencies was overwhelmingly positive. <br /> <br />Police Chief Bluml shared several comments from those agencies. One department reported that <br />the funding helped them launch a behavioral health unit they had been working toward for years. <br />Another department stated that the program significantly reduced mental health–related calls while <br />connecting residents to county resources. Another department said their City has committed to <br />continuing the position even if future grant funding is not awarded. Another agency reported that <br />their social workers have become extremely busy and have been a tremendous asset to their <br />operations. <br /> <br />Police Chief Bluml explained that several agencies initially relied on social workers through <br />county partnerships but later transitioned to having the professionals directly employed by their <br />Police Departments. He said those agencies reported that the program works better when the <br />mental health professionals are embedded within the department and have direct access to police <br />records and information. <br /> <br />City Council Work Session / March 10, 2026 <br />Page 15 of 21 <br />