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Rochester police report: 3,300 service calls, staffing and training updates, drug take-back yields 100 pounds
Summary
Police presented monthly patrol and administrative updates including call volume, traffic enforcement figures, drug take-back results, expanded park enforcement, school security assessments, training completions and recruiting status; commissioners asked clarifying questions about DWI and administrative statistics.
Police leadership told the Rochester Police Commission that the department logged about 3,300 service calls in the past month and roughly 700 traffic-enforcement actions for the month, with about 2,700 traffic stops year-to-date.
Department presenters said the drug take-back event on April 26 yielded five boxes, totaling about 100 pounds of collected material; presenters noted that is lower than usual (they said typical collection ranges from six to nine boxes and 50–70 pounds) and attributed the shortfall to rainy weather on the collection day. The presenters also clarified that a year-over-year drop in "DWI" numbers reflects DWI service calls, not necessarily arrests — meaning a call came in for a possible impaired driver and officers responded to check on it.
Staff reported that park-enforcement activity increased 237% after the unit expanded from one officer to two; presenters said officers are conducting enforcement and education in problem areas, including near schools. School resource officers have been involved in Department of Homeland Security school security assessments at Rochester schools; presenters said the assessments are being completed across district buildings this month and in June, and that the assessments are required on a periodic schedule (a presenter said, "I think it's every 3 years").
On administration and budget, police staff said the department is completing the FY26 budget building process and will present during the city's budget retreat on Friday. The department reported that operations and maintenance lines were set at the city manager's mandate of 3% and that several capital-improvement projects tied to FY26 remain in process. A significant purchase noted for this period was replacement desks for the dispatch center; presenters said the current desks were very old and the replacements are necessary.
Training and staffing updates included multiple recertifications and specialized trainings (firearms recertification, crime-scene processing, motorcycle certification, human-trafficking training, tactical communications and outlaw motorcycle gang instruction). Presenters said several recruits completed field training and two new officers graduated from the police academy on April 25 and are preparing for field training. The department reported six full-time openings on the recruiting list; some of those hires are in the final stages of onboarding or awaiting academy graduation.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions during the report. One commissioner observed a 68% increase in "administrative duties" year over year and asked whether that reflected new assignment of administrative tasks; a department presenter explained that the category is broad and includes paperwork services, directed patrols logged as administrative activity and follow-up work that can carry to the next shift.
No formal votes or policy changes were recorded during the operations report segment; the material was presented for information and follow-up as needed.
