Lakeville PD's Crisis Program Kept Police Out of 88% of Mental Health Calls
TLDR
Lakeville's crisis response program handled 88% of mental health calls in Q4 without police. DUI arrests are up thanks to more proactive enforcement. THC is the top non-alcohol substance in impaired driving cases. The $25.8 million FiRST Center training facility has a new building manager and five partner agencies signed on. And Officer Eric Craig was named South Metro SWAT Operator of the Year.
Police Chief Brad Paulson gave the council the Q4 2025 report Monday night. One number jumped off the page.
88% of Crisis Calls — No Police Needed
Lakeville's crisis response program routed 88% of mental health calls in Q4 straight to social workers. No police involved at all. For the full year, it stayed above 80%.
That's 90 calls where someone in a tough spot got connected to social services through the Dakota County Crisis Response Unit instead of getting a squad car at their door.
"The person calling did not want the police department there," Paulson said. "They get more of what they're looking for. And it frees our staff up to handle other calls."
Coming into the program, the department would've been happy hitting 70-75%. Beating 80% all year was better than anyone expected.
Mental health calls overall were up about 33 in Q4 compared to last year. Paulson said those numbers go up and down based on everything from weather to holidays to big events in the news.
DUI Arrests Are Up — And It's on Purpose
DUI arrests climbed in 2025. But Paulson doesn't think there are more impaired drivers out there. He thinks his officers are just catching more of them.
Here's an interesting shift: In 2024, 90% of DUI arrests were alcohol-related. In 2025, that dropped to 83%. The difference? More drug-impaired drivers are getting caught — especially THC.
THC is now far and away the leading non-alcohol substance in impaired driving cases in Lakeville. Paulson credited better training — officers are getting sharper at spotting impaired drivers who aren't drunk, and the department has more tools like drug recognition experts and trained blood-draw specialists.
One case from Q4 stood out. An officer pulled over a car for an equipment problem and found the driver impaired — with four kids under 10 in the car. No car seats. No seat belts. Blood results came back with a significant level of THC. Charges are pending.
Traffic and Crime Numbers
Accidents were up in Q4 — both property damage and injury crashes. Paulson pointed to several snow events as a likely factor. The department continues to watch specific intersections for patterns.
On crime: assaults were up. Vandalism and motor vehicle theft were both down. About 240 more police reports were written in 2025 than 2024 overall.
The roundabout at Kenwood Trail and 185th got new striping in October. Early data shows crash numbers almost identical to 2024 — so no real impact yet. Snow cover makes it hard to judge striping changes in winter months.
FiRST Center Moving Forward
The $25.8 million FiRST Center — Lakeville's new regional police and first responder training facility — keeps making progress.
A new facility manager, Austin Roebush, started this week. He comes from managing correctional facilities in Ramsey County. Five agencies have now signed capital membership agreements: Apple Valley, Northfield, Elko, New Market, and Farmington.
The department is also in talks with local colleges about hosting a skills training program at the center. When it opens, it'll serve law enforcement across the south metro — not just Lakeville.
The Star Tribune covered the FiRST Center when it secured federal funding. Construction broke ground last spring and the facility is expected to open mid-2026.
New Hires and Awards
Four new patrol officers started in November. Two were promoted from within — Fletcher Silverell and Victoria Ruck both started as community service officers before becoming sworn officers. Brandon Johnson is a lateral hire with 11 years of experience. And Derek Phost brings six years as a military police officer with the Minnesota Army National Guard plus six years at Mall of America.
A new full-time CSO, Haley Nelson, also joined the team.
Officer Eric Craig was named 2025 South Metro SWAT Operator of the Year — voted on by his teammates. And Sergeant Alex Johannes completed the Northwestern University School of Police Staff and Command, a 10-week leadership program.
Notable Moment
Mayor Hellier closed the presentation with a personal note. "The last several weeks have been pretty difficult for law enforcement," he said. "I just want to extend my gratitude for your professionalism and compassion."
The Bottom Line
The crisis response numbers are the headline here. A program that keeps police out of situations where people don't want police — and connects them to real help instead — is working better than expected. That's good for everyone.
