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After 28 years of service to Albert Lea, Public Safety Director J.D. Carlson has announced his intention to retire, effective June 27. He started as a patrol officer in 1997 and moved up to lieutenant and deputy director before taking the director position in 2018.

“The city of Albert Lea has been in good hands under the excellent leadership provided by our Public Safety Director J.D. Carlson,” said Mayor Rich Murray. “We wish him well in retirement and thank him for his many years of outstanding service to our community.”

With Carlson retiring, the city is proposing to restructure its police and fire departments. Instead of a public safety director overseeing both departments with a deputy police chief and deputy fire chief, the city will eliminate the public safety director position and appoint a police chief and fire chief who will report directly to the city manager.

The city is proposing this change because both the Albert Lea Police Department and Albert Lea Fire Rescue have deputy chiefs with the required knowledge, experience and expertise to lead their respective departments, according to a press release.

The Albert Lea City Council voted Monday night on changing its ordinance that establishes city departments. All ordinance changes require two votes, the first to introduce the change and the second to adopt it. That means the public may provide input on the change over the next four weeks.

If people have comments or want to ask questions, they may call or email their city councilors directly or attend the council meeting April 14. For the phone numbers and emails of city councilors, visit the city website at https://cityofalbertlea.org/council/.

Carlson will help lead the transition, and city leaders thank him for serving the community with distinction, leading the ALPD, ALFR and associated public safety personnel.

According to the city, his tenure has been marked by significant achievements, including:

• Effectively and efficiently staffing a team of dedicated and talented public safety professionals.
• Carrying out the community policing vision by promoting a sustained positive culture among the ALPD.
• Implementing a strong policy platform to enhance trust and confidence.
• Providing direction to the City Council in moving the Albert Lea Fire Rescue from City Hall to a new station.
• Successfully leading public safety through civil unrest, a pandemic and critical incidents.
• Heightening collaboration with the South Central Drug Investigation Unit, Albert Lea Area Schools, and many Freeborn County communities by staffing a task force agent, adding a school resource officer, and providing much-needed response to hazardous structures and nuisance complaints.
• Annual reductions in the local crime rate, highlighted by an all-time low in 2024 since a new reporting system went into effect seven years ago.

“It has been a privilege to serve the residents of Albert Lea and to work alongside the dedicated professionals of our public safety departments,” Carlson said. “I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together, and I am confident that our public safety teams are well-prepared to continue serving the community effectively.”