Atherton police annual report: low crime, burglary prevention wins — drone, ALPR and alarm program issues flagged

The Atherton Police Chief presented the department’s 2024 annual report and recent audits at the April 2 joint study session, saying audits identified “few findings” and that most issues are being corrected with documented corrective action. The chief emphasized the department’s low crime rates and credited proactive enforcement for low collision and serious‑injury numbers, while the report also highlighted a recent uptick in burglaries and student‑related assaults at the high school.

Audits and inspections covered programs ranging from K‑9 and firearms to drone operations. The chief said the department has encountered technical and operational limitations with the drone program but expects an FAA waiver that would remove the visual‑observer requirement and allow more automated launches once a docking station light is installed for nighttime operations. Council members pressed whether vendor demonstrations or outside comparisons would help improve program performance; the chief said the vendor Paladin has worked closely with the town and the department has acted as a test agency for improvements.

The report included automated license plate reader (ALPR) analytics. Council members noted figures in the packet: a “total vehicle volume” listed as 3,000,776 and a “total unique vehicle volume” listed as 1,548,000; the chief said ALPR reads number in the millions and that many agencies in the county now use the system. The chief described some operational limitations, including license‑plate theft and interoperability challenges when suspects remove plates.

Audits also found compliance lapses in required entries (RIPA / use‑of‑force or stop data entries, as described in the report) for several officers; the chief said those issues are addressed through supervisory follow‑up and disciplinary steps where appropriate. Council members asked specifically about traffic unit compliance and the department’s corrective steps; the chief said the department has the technology to improve reporting and is addressing noncompliance.

The annual report reviewed the town’s residential alarm permit program. Staff said the town mailed permit invoices to roughly the town’s address list; the packet states the program charges an initial permit fee (stated as $100 in discussion) and an annual renewal (stated as $50) and that to date the town has collected approximately $28,000 in revenue from alarm permits. Staff said many residents mistakenly assume that, if the town is not directly monitoring their alarm, they do not need to pay the permit fee; staff is developing an online portal and additional outreach to improve registration and timely payment. The chief and staff emphasized that accurate contact information for alarmed properties helps dispatch confirm false alarms and reduce officer response time wasted on nuisance calls.

On crime trends, the chief said overall crime rates remain low compared with national levels and credited community programs and outreach — including burglary‑prevention education and GPS equipment distribution — for reducing repeat problems. Traffic enforcement and pedestrian safety activity received attention; the department reported a targeted enforcement effort at the dangerous El Camino Real/Selby crosswalk that yielded multiple citations and warnings.

Council members asked follow‑up questions about alarm invoice collection strategies, drone program performance, ALPR reporting detail and audit follow‑up; the chief said the department will continue corrective action and return with follow‑up information as requested. No formal actions or policy changes were adopted at the session.