The Gun Lake Casino apparently intends to have a combination police and fire service available to the public in light of recent expansions.

Hopkins Area Fire Department Chief Trevor Beilby told the Watson Township Board Thursday night that as many as five police officers are being cross trained to be firefighters to create a public safety department.

Beilby said he personally is in favor of the development, saying, “Having more public safety services is a good thing.”

There have been rumors flying around that the casino will back out of the Wayland Area Emergency Services cooperative, but that has been debunked.

Beilby told the board that WAEMS had handled a whopping 3,973 calls in 2023, averaging about 11 a day.

He also reported the WAEMS and Hopkins Area Fire Department one night recently had the misfortune of two deer crashes with their vehicles within an hour of each other. Both vehicles are being repaired.