University Place police update: staffing increases, school liaison and traffic focus, council asks for crime breakdowns

University Place police Chief Patrick Burke gave a public safety update to the City Council on Aug. 4 describing recent staffing increases, new school and community outreach roles, and a plan to add traffic enforcement capacity. Council members pressed for more detailed crime breakdowns, trending data, and metrics the department will use to measure results.

The update matters because the council and voters funded a staffing increase through a local levy; the chief said the additional officers are already affecting overtime, response options and proactive patrols in the city.

Chief Burke summarized staffing and planned additions in the department: “Prior to the levy, we had 16 commissioned officers. In 02/2024, we added 4 officers and the community outreach officer,” he said, adding the department is “tracking November to add 4 more to that to 24 commissioned.” He also said the department planned, in 02/2025, to add three patrol officers (one per shift) and an officer dedicated to traffic enforcement and education.

Burke said increased staffing has delivered several operational changes: lower overtime and improved officer wellness; more options for response…