Star Tribune
LINO LAKES, Minn. — Lino Lakes police officers will soon suit up as the city’s firefighters.
In a still unusual but increasingly popular move for Twin Cities metro cities, the north metro community of 20,000 is cross-training all 25 of its police officers as firefighters. Officers will carry firefighting gear, breathing apparatus and carbon monoxide detectors in their patrol SUVs. If a fire emergency flares up in the city, they’ll call for backup, take off their gun belts and step into the firefighting gear.
The city will also have an additional 20 paid on-call firefighters. Most Minnesota cities rely on volunteer or paid on-call firefighters, but they’re getting harder to find. In response, some suburbs, including Roseville and Brooklyn Park, are hiring more full-time professional firefighters. A few others, including Lino Lakes, are asking employees to multi-task.
Full story: Lino Lakes police will be city’s new firefighters