UPDATE: Albert Lea shares more details about possible elimination of public safety director

(ABC 6 News) – The city of Albert Lea may no longer have a public safety director. At the March 24 meeting, the city council introduced an ordinance to eliminate the position within the city.

The move would allow both the police and fire department chief to oversee their departments, and report directly to the city manager.

With Public Safety Director J.D. Carlson retiring this June, the council has decided to explore new procedures in the city. Currently, both the Albert Lea Police Department and Albert Lea Fire Rescue have deputy chiefs with the required experience and expertise to lead their departments.

All ordinance changes require two council votes, with the second and final vote set for April 14.

PREVIOUS ARTICLE:

(ABC 6 News) – Albert Lea’s Public Safety Director J.D. Carlson will retire in June, and the city wants to restructure its police and fire departments.

After Carlson retires, the city of Albert Lea is proposing to get rid of the role of Public Safety Director. The director would oversee both departments with deputy police and fire chiefs. In the proposed plan, the city will instead appoint a police chief and fire chief who will report directly to the city manager.

The city is proposing this change because both departments have deputy chiefs who are believed to be qualified enough to lead their respective departments.

This proposal will be voted on at the Albert Lea City Council meeting tonight, March 24th.

J.D. Carlson will retire on June 27th, after 28 years of service to Albert Lea. He started as a patrol officer in 1997 and has been Public Safety Director since 2018.