Hillsboro Police outline crime trends, organized‑retail response and 67,000‑sq‑ft headquarters plan

Hillsboro Police Department leaders told the City Council on July 1 that patrol and investigative staffing, complaints and increasing shoplifting and assault reports are driving operational focus, and they presented designs for a new, seismically resilient police headquarters planned for the city’s northeast quadrant.

Chief Jim Coleman said the department has roughly 207.5 staff positions (sworn and professional staff combined) and described a 2022 reorganization that aligned patrol, services and business operations. “We’re excited to talk to you tonight about the Hillsboro Police Department,” Coleman said as he introduced the executive staff.

Why it matters: The department reported modest increases in assaults, larceny/shoplifting and weapons‑offense counts in 2024 relative to pre‑COVID baselines, and it singled out organized retail theft as an ongoing focus. At the same time, the department emphasized steady performance on priority response times and described ways the proposed headquarters would improve security, privacy, staff wellness and public engagement.

Key points

- Crime trends and data: Leah Turner (analytics services) said 2024 shows higher‑than‑expected counts for some categories compared with the post‑2016 baseline used for state NIBRS reporting. The department highlighted increases in assaults (including aggravated and simple assaults), shoplifting/organized retail theft and…