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Ferguson Police report: 88% staffing, new traffic detail officer, explorer program expanding
Summary
Police Chief Troy Doyle told the council the department is at about 88% staffing, has reassigned a detective, added a traffic officer and launched a police explorer program. Part 1 crimes and traffic citations are down year-to-date, the chief said.
Police Chief Troy Doyle updated the Ferguson City Council on staffing, crime trends and new programming, saying the department remains roughly 88% staffed and is promoting and recruiting to fill several supervisory vacancies.
Doyle said he expects to promote a sergeant on Feb. 28 but that two additional sergeant slots remain open; six corporal vacancies and a vacant lieutenant position (night shift) also need to be filled. He said five recent candidates were “not disqualified” (NDQ) for different reasons and that one officer, Scott Woodridge, has been reassigned to the detective bureau.
The chief reported Part 1 crimes are down about 54% year-to-date and Part 2 crimes down about 39% so far this year; traffic-related citations were down overall but the department expects enforcement to increase with a new traffic officer assignment. "Officer Brooks has been signed to our traffic unit," Doyle said, referring to an officer hired from a neighboring agency. Doyle said Brooks wrote “close to 15 to 20 tickets” in his first two days.
Doyle also described the department’s new police explorer program aimed at residents ages 14 to 20. He said the program has drawn multiple applications, has its own patch, and staff will promote it through outreach; brochures were available at the meeting.
Council members asked whether Brooks is currently the only traffic officer; Doyle replied yes for now and said the budget approved two traffic unit positions and two detective positions last year and additional hires would fill those slots.
Ending: Doyle invited residents to report neighborhood streets for targeted enforcement and said the traffic unit will liaise with the traffic commission to use Jamar system data for placements.
