Public Order AND Safety
Public safety entities continue to evolve their approach to public safety through stronger collaboration, improved mental‑health response, expanded use of technology, and awareness of emerging challenges. These efforts highlight both our progress and the critical areas where continued focus is needed.
key metrics
60%
less meth seized in 2025 than at its 2023 peak
Seizures fell from about 67,400 grams to 27,000.
73%
fewer overdose calls responded to in 2025 than in 2021.
Overdose calls have dropped every year, from 796 to 211.
2026 report
Shots-fired calls to Springfield police reached a four-year low in 2025, as agencies countywide worked more closely together and responded to mental health crises alongside trained co-responders. Still, injuries from gunfire rose that year, overdoses continue as synthetic opioids grow stronger, and more than 100 positions sit open across local police, sheriff, and 9-1-1 agencies.
Cross‑agency collaboration
The community continues strengthening public safety through interagency collaboration.
The Crisis Communication Council, established at the 2025 Leadership Summit for Preparedness, brings together all public safety agencies across the county.
The Springfield-Greene County Office of Emergency Management leads planning efforts, while partner agencies enhance interagency practices and procedures, creating an environment necessary to effectively share real-time information, provide coordination during large-scale incidents, and activate the Joint Information Center for unified communication.
Awareness, education and response to mental health
Since 2022, SPD and Centerstone have operated a mental health co-responder program that connects people in crisis to needed services. Eight co-responders currently support peak call times and maintain 24/7 on call availability, with a goal of reaching full around the clock coverage in 2027.
In 2025, 9-8-8 operators began co locating within the Springfield Greene County 9 1 1 center, allowing crisis counselors and emergency communications staff to work side by side when residents are in emotional distress or suicidal crisis. This collaboration ensures residents receive the right level of support quickly.
Enhanced technology use
In 2026, SPD launched a Drones as a First Responder program utilizing two Skydio drone docks positioned on rooftops offering remote deployment options, giving officers rapid visual access to unfolding incidents and improving safety.
In addition, SPD trained 30 patrol officers to deploy drones at street level to assist in a wide variety of calls for service.
The Springfield Fire Department (SFD) continues to use drones for special operations and search‑and‑rescue missions.
Gun‑related and violent crime
SPD has seen a steady decline in shots‑fired calls, reaching a four‑year low of 187 in 2025.
Although the number of people injured by gunfire rose 33 percent from 2024 to 2025, it remains substantially lower than the number of injuries recorded in both 2022 and 2023.
Substance Use
Substance‑use issues continue to evolve as modern synthetic opioids become more potent.
New drug trends have made overdoses harder to reverse, as fentanyl and similar opioids bind more tightly to receptors, reducing the effectiveness of standard naloxone doses.
A 2026 study from the American Society of Anesthesiologists found that a single dose may not fully reverse respiratory depression in people exposed to high levels or more potent synthetics.
Although overdose fatalities have declined, overdoses themselves continue, showing the need for ongoing collaboration among community partners to respond to increasingly complex drug threats.
Staffing shortages
Staffing shortages continue to challenge public safety operations across multiple agencies.
As of June 30, 2026, SPD reported 43 sworn and 8 non‑sworn vacancies out of 360 and 94 authorized positions, respectively.
The Greene County Sheriff’s Office faces gaps as well, including 5 medical vacancies, 36 detention vacancies, and 5 patrol openings.
