Keeping Poway Safe, Prepared and Protected

Public safety is the City's most important responsibility. As Poway grows, we must make sure our police, fire, emergency medical services, and disaster-response capabilities grow with it.

From my days working in the hospital emergency room to my experience as a volunteer with the San Diego Police Department and my ongoing service administering the Rancho Bernardo Retired Senior Volunteer Patrol have given me a firsthand appreciation for the men and women who protect our communities. I believe Poway must remain a safe community—and we must plan for the challenges that come with growth.

🚔 Support Our Law Enforcement

• Maintain a strong working relationship with the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.

• Support adequate staffing and resources for deputies serving Poway.

• Encourage effective traffic enforcement, particularly in areas experiencing increased congestion and speeding.

• Support community-oriented policing and continued cooperation between residents, businesses and law enforcement.

• Recognize and support the volunteers who provide thousands of hours of service to our community.

🚒 Strengthen Fire & Emergency Response

• Ensure that new development does not outpace our ability to provide timely fire and emergency medical response.

• Evaluate the impact of additional housing and population growth on fire and EMS response times.

• Require appropriate fire protection infrastructure as new development occurs.

• Continue aggressive wildfire preparedness and prevention efforts.

• Support evacuation planning and emergency access routes, particularly in our hillside and interface areas.

🚦 Make Development Accountable for Public Safety

Growth and public safety cannot be considered separately.

Every significant development should be evaluated for its impact on:

• Emergency response times

• Fire protection

• Evacuation routes

• Traffic congestion

• Police services

• Water availability and fire-flow requirements

• Infrastructure capacity

Developers should pay their fair share of the additional public-safety and infrastructure costs their projects create—not leave existing taxpayers to pick up the bill.

🔥 Prepare for Wildfire

Poway's open spaces and surrounding hillsides are part of what makes our community special, but they also create unique wildfire risks.

We should:

• Maintain effective vegetation management and defensible-space programs.

• Keep emergency access routes clear.

• Regularly review evacuation plans.

• Improve public communication during emergencies.

• Coordinate closely with fire agencies and neighboring jurisdictions.

• Ensure new developments have adequate emergency access and fire protection.

🚗 Address Traffic Before It Becomes a Safety Problem

Traffic isn't simply an inconvenience. Congestion can affect police, fire and ambulance response times.

As Poway grows, we need to understand the cumulative impact of development on our road network.

I will support:

• Regular traffic monitoring.

• Improved signal coordination.

• Safe pedestrian and bicycle crossings.

• Protection of emergency vehicle access.

• Evaluation of cumulative traffic impacts—not simply one project at a time.

💰 Fiscal Responsibility Is Public Safety

We cannot promise every service without considering how we will pay for it.

Every development proposal should answer a basic question:

Will the City have the resources to provide the police, fire, emergency and infrastructure services that new residents will require?

Responsible budgeting means funding essential services first and making sure growth contributes its fair share.

My Commitment

Safe neighborhoods. Prepared emergency services. Responsible growth. Accountable government.

I will work to ensure that Poway remains a community where families feel safe, seniors feel secure, businesses can operate confidently, and our first responders have the resources they need to do their jobs.

Public safety isn't a campaign slogan. It's a responsibility.

Bob Walder
Candidate for Poway City Council – District 3