At the Nov. 26 Public Safety Committee meeting, Monona public safety leaders reported ongoing recruitment and community outreach initiatives.

Fire/EMS said two full-time positions will open in January and that applicant pools are active despite regional hiring competition. The Fire/EMS speaker noted the department has received a number of qualified applicants and said the city currently offers competitive starting pay among nearby combination departments.

The police chief announced two hires: Officer Adrian Allen, a lateral hire from Madison who will be sworn in on Dec. 2, and part-time hire Sam Bachman, a former intern who will be sworn Jan. 2 and will attend the Blackhawk Technical College police academy. The chief said the part-time hire will help create a hiring pipeline and that candidates cited Monona's reputation and community support as reasons for applying.

The police chief also described the Shop with a Cop program, which pairs officers with students from local schools for a holiday shopping experience funded by business and individual donations. The department thanked local partners that donate goods and services to support the program.