Prescott Police outlines staffing, accreditation and new technology after budget increase

Prescott Police Department leaders updated the City Council on staffing, accreditation, recruitment and new operational tools made possible in part by resources tied to Proposition 4 7 8 and city budget decisions.

Deputy Chief John Brambilla said the department’s overall budget is roughly $20 million and that personnel remain the largest share of costs. He reported the department’s authorized sworn positions are 93 while current sworn staffing is 79; leaders said they are testing monthly and recruiting laterals to close the gap.

Why it matters: Additional sworn positions and capital investments affect patrol coverage, traffic enforcement and specialty units. The department tied several recent innovations — a regional training academy partnership that yields college credits, license‑plate readers and other field technology — to improved case clearance and program efficiency.

Major details - Staffing and hires: Brambilla said six new sworn positions were added this fiscal cycle. The department reported eight new officers hired in 2024 (including one lateral) and 14 civilian hires. Current sworn staffing is 79 with 93 positions budgeted; patrol has 44 assigned officers but only 33 in solo‑officer status at the time of the presentation because of trainees and leaves. - Calls and response: The department reported about 45,002 calls for service (up about 2% from the prior period) and an average response time of 6 minutes 21 seconds for February. Total arrests for the year were reported at roughly 1,800 (an increase of about 370 from the prior year). - Accreditation and standards: The police department and the Prescott Regional Communication Center (PRCC) are in reaccreditation cycles. Deputy Chief Brambilla described the Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program (ALEP) five‑year reaccreditation timeline and the department’s ongoing policy and proof reviews. - Technology and evidence: Personnel reported increased use of body‑worn cameras, Axon evidence uploads and license‑plate readers. Records staff processed about 8,300 reports and handled nearly 5,600 public‑records requests in 2024; the department noted that redacting video is time intensive (the presentation cited an industry average of five hours of review per one hour of footage). - Wellness and retention: Brambilla and others described a new recharge room and recovery amenities funded by the Police Foundation, including red‑light therapy panels and a cold plunge; the department also launched an internal peer‑support team and has focused on officer wellness as part of retention strategy.

Special units and programs - School resources and community policing: The department added a school resource officer at Granite Mountain High School via a grant and reported substantial contact and prevention work from SROs and the bicycle/community services officers. - K‑9, traffic and technical support: The department described active K‑9 teams (replacement planning for retiring K‑9s), a traffic safety section with civilian accident investigators and a technical support unit that runs drones and robotics for SWAT and mapping purposes.

Council questions and follow-ups Council members asked for details on fatalities and specific traffic‑safety statistics; the department offered to provide follow‑up detail to council offices where investigations remain pending. The department also said it expects to continue monthly testing and lateral recruiting and to bring additional officers into training academies in coming months.

Ending Police leaders closed by thanking staff and community partners; they said accreditation, training and modest technology investments are central to sustaining service levels as the city grows.