Axtell Group evaluates the Roseville Police Department

At the June 16 city council meeting, representatives from The Axtell Group presented a summary of their findings and recommendations on their comprehensive evaluation of the Roseville Police Department (RPD) resources and operational efficiency.

On October 14, 2024, the city council authorized the RPD to solicit proposals for this evaluation. The goal of the study was to assess the RPD’s current operations, identify areas for improvement, and ensure the department continues to meet the evolving needs and expectations of the Roseville community.

On December 2, 2024, the city council approved entering into a Professional Services Agreement with The Axtell Group to conduct the evaluation after they were unanimously selected by a review committee comprised of city and police leaders.

The Axtell Group began their work in January 2025 and they have completed a robust and data-informed assessment of the Roseville Police Department. The methodology used included interviews with department personnel, a review of department documents and workload data, an anonymous department-wide survey, and community engagement through focus groups and outreach events.

The evaluation highlights both the department’s strengths and ongoing challenges, and provides a series of  recommendations to enhance operational efficiency, improve resource alignment, and strengthen community trust and responsiveness.

“Roseville has a solid, well led, professional, forward thinking police department. I would be honored to live in a city knowing we were protected at that level,” Todd Axtell, President & CEO of The Axtell Group, said at the end of his group’s presentation to city council.

Observations, Resources, and Challenges

According to the report, the employee survey and interviews provided insight into how officers and staff perceive their working environment, the department’s operational efficiency and opportunities for growth. Themes that emerged such as the impact of staffing levels on wellness and training access, support for the department’s mission, and suggestions for leadership structure — informed the findings and recommendations presented in this report.

The community’s voice was also a central part of the evaluation. Feedback from community meetings, direct engagement with the Roseville Multicultural Advisory Committee (MAC), and interviews with city leaders consistently reinforced public trust in the department while identifying opportunities to further improve community visibility, communication, and equity in service delivery. The community voiced support for increased officer wellness, stronger behavioral health partnerships, and adequate staffing to match service expectations.

According to the report, the RPD is a high-performing, community-oriented department. It is a professional, well-led, and trusted agency under the leadership of Chief Erika Scheider. Staff are described as dedicated, compassionate, and resilient, consistently meeting growing service demands. The public trust is based on effective community engagement, diverse partnerships, and innovative initiatives. Internal and external feedback highlights the department’s accountability, transparency, and adaptability.

RPD continues to make strong progress in strategic areas, including grant acquisition, crisis response, officer recruitment, and community outreach. The department secured over $1.5 million in grants for fiscal years 2024 and 2025, supporting critical areas such as accreditation, crisis response, and evidence management and storage. Programs like the Social Worker Pilot and dedicated retail crime officers at Rosedale Mall have yielded measurable results, enhancing community safety and operational insight. However, the report points out that grant funding may not always be a reliable source of long term revenue, so the RPD should be proactive in seeking grant renewals when possible and coordinating with the city council to resolve potential funding gaps. 

The evaluation also identified areas where resource constraints are impeding progress. The patrol deployment model has not been significantly adjusted in more than 20 years, despite rising service demands and operational complexity. The number of officers on duty is largely unchanged since the early 2000s.

Staffing levels in patrol, records, and property and evidence are not scaled to reflect current workloads and responsibilities. The report goes on to say that internal functions such as records management, data analysis, and training are under strain. The transition to a county-wide records management system (RMS) platform has negatively impacted efficiency, while the absence of a full-time training coordinator limits the department’s ability to consistently deliver direct interactive learning environments.

While the department meets mandated training requirements, the delivery model often depends on self-directed learning and lacks structure needed to maximize effectiveness and impact, without impacting daily operations, staffing and deployment needs.

The department is also in the process of seeking accreditation through the Minnesota Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (MNLEAP). This step demonstrates RPD’s commitment to excellence but will add administrative and procedural responsibilities throughout the department at a time when staff capacity is already stretched.

Recommendations

Based on the findings from this evaluation, The Axtell Group has the following recommendations for the department to consider:

• Update the Patrol Deployment Model: Increase patrol staffing levels to better align with current call volume, time-of-day service demands, and increased field complexities. This report includes a potential growth plan.
• Enhance Supervisory Coverage: Increase patrol sergeant staff levels to ensure 24/7 patrol sergeant coverage and limit use of the Officer in Charge (OIC) program to exceptional circumstances.
• Invest in a Full-Time Training Coordinator: Improve training consistency, record-keeping, and the development of multi-year strategic training plans.
• Strengthen Records and Property Operations: Add staffing and specialized supervision in these areas to reduce backlogs and align with national best practices.
• Increase Technology Support: Address limitations in the RMS platform and secure dedicated IT support to reduce service delays and internal staff and service disruptions.
• Build Strategic Staffing Resilience: Account for long-term absences, leave usage, and collateral duty assignments when calculating functional staffing capacity.
• Augment Internal Communication and Employee Engagement: Actively involve employees in organizational decision-making and strengthen communication of department goals utilizing a strategic communication plan.
• Support Employee Wellness and Morale: Expand wellness initiatives to support an extremely busy staff and ensure work-life balance remains a guiding consideration in future staffing and deployment models.

Action

The city council approved the action to receive and file The Axtell Group's report on the Evaluation of Roseville Police Department Resources and Operational Efficiency.

Next Steps

Chief Erika Scheider indicated that she will make a presentation to the city council on July 7, 2025 regarding RPD’s plans to implement the recommendations outlined by The Axtell Group.

Learn More

You can view the Axtell Group’s presentation files in the June 16 city council meeting materials here.

In case you missed it:

Roseville Police Department to undergo comprehensive evaluation

City Council approves contracting with The Axtell Group

The Roseville ReaderNaomi Krueger

Greg Simbeck is a freelance writer who lives in Roseville, Minnesota. He has had 200 articles published on national sites including Yardbarker, WhoWhatWhy, and New Leaf News. He and his wife Mary Jo have lived in Roseville for over 17 years. He was previously a commissioner on the Roseville Parks and Recreation Commission and a board member of the Rice-Larpenteur Alliance.