Auburn police present 2024 annual report showing more use-of-force reports, pursuit uptick and staffing turnover

Commander Sean Firo, Special Services Division commander for the Auburn Police Department, told the Auburn City Council study session on April 28 that the department’s 2024 annual report shows a rise in several enforcement measures, including use-of-force reports and pursuits, while also describing how training and policy review shape responses.

The report compared 2024 with prior years and showed 249 use-of-force reports, roughly 0.3 percent of contacts, and 52 police pursuits — a 205 percent increase from 2023. Commander Firo said the increase in pursuits followed a June 2024 state initiative that relaxed prior restrictions and allowed pursuit decisions to be made locally.

The numbers matter because they reflect both how often officers deploy force and how the department balances public safety and pursuit risk. “A CAD incident is any call that gets called into our dispatch center. It is requesting an officer response,” Firo said, explaining the denominator behind several ratios the department tracks. He also told council that all use-of-force incidents are reviewed and that, as of the presentation, no incidents had been concluded to be outside policy.

Council members pressed for detail on investigations, injuries and causes. Firo said internal-investigation…