Celina highlights public safety planning amid continued growth

Celina is highlighting the evolution of public safety in the city as officials say continued growth has required planning, hiring and expansion in police and fire services.

The city announcement revisits a story originally published in the January-February 2024 edition of Life Connected. Magazine. It focuses on the people, milestones and defining moments that have shaped public safety in Celina, while noting that growth has brought challenges such as street construction, public works concerns, parks and green space development, school classroom needs, community programming and bond packages.

Celina Fire Chief Mark Metdker and Celina Police Chief John Cullison lead departments described by the city as large and growing. The announcement says both departments experienced record growth in 2023 and that the chiefs are responsible for training personnel, ensuring staffing and equipment needs are met, and returning to planning discussions as conditions change.

The city said the police and fire departments coordinate both in planning meetings and at incident scenes.

“A critical key to successful and wise growth in the area of public safety is centered around collaboration,” Cullison said. “Our Police and Fire Departments work together on the scenes of so many incidents that our successes are inextricably linked to one another.

In this critical time in Celina’s story, we must maintain the confidence in every area of public safety, and so we work together so that every resident can maintain their historical confidence in their safety and security.”