REP. STIER: Public safety solutions that protect local taxpayers

It's hard to believe summer is already over and fall weather is moving in. The 2026 legislative interim is going by just as quickly, and the two working groups I currently chair have been busy working toward solutions that will affect public safety, local governments and taxpayers across Minnesota.

The first is the Work Group on Duty Disability and the Public Safety Officer's Benefit Account. Minnesota has seen a steady increase in disability claims from police officers and firefighters, especially those dealing with post-traumatic stress. We need a system that gives injured first responders a real roadmap toward recovery while protecting the long-term stability of the Police and Fire Retirement Plan.

Our group has heard from Wisconsin, Iowa and Colorado about their different approaches. Each program has strengths and weaknesses. We can learn from their experience, take what is working and develop a system that fits Minnesota.

In 2023, the Legislature created a $100 million Public Safety Officer Benefit Account with the goal of helping injured emergency responders receive treatment, recover and return to work when possible. So far, only 17 of the 337 emergency responders who have gone through the program have returned to work.

Current projections also indicate the account could run out of money in 2028. Once that happens, the cost will shift back to cities and counties and eventually reach local property taxpayers. We have an obligation to address the problem before then.

A successful program needs to help first responders recover when returning to work is realistic. It also needs to support those whose injuries prevent them from returning and protect the retirement plan relied upon by police officers, firefighters and their families. Finding that balance won't be easy, but waiting will make the eventual solution more difficult and more expensive.

The second group I chair is the ARMER Task Force. ARMER stands for Allied Radio Matrix for Emergency Response. It is the statewide radio network used by police officers, firefighters, dispatchers and other emergency personnel.

When someone calls 911, that call is answered by a Public Safety Answering Point, often located in a sheriff's office. The dispatcher then uses the ARMER network to communicate with the emergency responders being sent to help.

Minnesota has 335 ARMER sites across the state. The system began rolling out in 2004, when it represented some of the best emergency communications technology available. More than two decades later, much of that technology needs to be updated.

Think of it like a Chevy Silverado. A Silverado built in 2004 may still be driving down the road and getting the job done, but its technology and safety features are far behind what comes standard in a 2026 vehicle.

The same is true of ARMER. The network remains essential, but we can't assume technology built more than 20 years ago will continue meeting Minnesota's needs without significant updates.

When someone calls 911, there can't be an unnecessary delay in getting help on the way. When an officer needs backup or a firefighter is inside a burning building, the communications system can't fail them.

One of my main goals for the task force is to examine whether locally owned towers should become part of a statewide system. Local taxpayers currently pay for many of these towers through county taxes. A statewide approach could spread those costs more fairly, improve consistency and make the system easier to maintain and upgrade.

Both working groups come back to the same basic responsibility. We need to protect the people who respond when Minnesotans call for help, and we need to be honest about what these systems will cost if we fail to address the problems now.

If we can establish a workable duty-disability system and develop a sustainable plan for ARMER, cities and counties could see lower or more stable costs. That can have a direct effect on local property taxes.

These are complicated issues that require input from first responders, cities, counties, retirement officials and taxpayers. My job is to bring those people together, look honestly at what the numbers are telling us and develop solutions before either system reaches a crisis point.

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