Albert Lea proposes changes to police and fire departments

(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.