Mon Jun 23 18:00:00 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing the provided text:

**Shrewsbury Sees Dramatic Drop in Walmart-Related Police Calls After Self-Checkout Removal**

**Shrewsbury, MO -** Shrewsbury Police Chief Lisa Vargas reported a significant decrease in police calls and arrests related to the Walmart Supercenter on Watson Road following the store’s decision to remove self-checkout lanes in April 2024. Presenting data to the Board of Aldermen on Tuesday, Chief Vargas showed a substantial drop in calls for service and custodial arrests between January-May 2024 and the same period in 2025.

In 2024, police responded to 1,915 calls overall, with 509 originating from Walmart. In 2025, those numbers fell to 1,662 total calls and only 183 from Walmart. Custodial arrests followed a similar trend, decreasing from 108 Walmart-related arrests out of a total of 160 in 2024 to 49 Walmart-related arrests out of a total of 55 in 2025.

Chief Vargas attributed the change to the removal of self-checkout lanes, which she said were being exploited by shoplifters. “That’s a huge change. We really appreciate Walmart taking initiative and removing those self-checkers,” she said, highlighting the positive impact on her department’s resources.

In other news from the board meeting:

* **Fire Department Seeks Community Help:** Fire Chief Chris Amenn is seeking volunteers with computer skills to help input two decades of legacy data into the department’s new inventory and incident tracking software.
* **Finance Committee Terms Extended:** The board gave a first reading to a bill that would extend the term of service on the city’s volunteer citizens finance committee from two to three years.
* **Financial Transparency Initiatives:** Finance Director Dustin Ziebold is working to provide the board with monthly financial reports and has implemented a policy change regarding the reporting of fixed assets.
* **City Administrator Search:** Mayor Mike Travaglini announced that the city has received approximately a dozen applications for the open city administrator position.

**Weather Forecast:** Residents can expect plenty of sunshine today with a high of 96 degrees Fahrenheit. Winds will be from the South-Southwest at 5 to 10 mph. Tonight will be mainly clear with a low of 76 degrees Fahrenheit and winds from the South-Southwest at 5 to 10 mph.

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