Police chief reports drop in Part 1 crimes, details staffing, new scanner and dashboard limits

Police Chief reported to Ithaca City officials that Part 1 crimes in the first quarter are down about 33% compared with the two previous years and described staffing, equipment and data issues affecting public perception.

The chief said the department’s online dashboard shows reported incidents rather than final, post-investigation classifications and cautioned that prosecution, data processing and other agencies can change counts after police report them. “So the dashboard is…a crime that’s reported,” the Police Chief said.

The nut graf: the chief framed the numbers, staffing and new technology as interconnected tools for both operations and public transparency. He told the group that changes in reporting, staffing levels and new equipment affect how residents perceive safety downtown, especially on the Commons.

On crime counts, the Police Chief said Part 1 crimes — murder, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary, larceny, motor‑vehicle theft and arson — are down roughly one‑third compared with the comparable quarter in previous years. He cited burglaries falling from 24 reported in the first quarter last year to 19 this year, and said larceny reports decreased from 206 last year to 63 this quarter.

Staffing and recruitment: the Police Chief said the department currently has 61 officers with five vacancies, but noted three additional positions become available for hire in July, which he said would raise the total potential vacancies to eight as retirements occur. He described active recruitment: a field‑training recruit, three hires in the Syracuse academy, a lateral candidate in background checks and a May 3 physical‑agility test with about 40 signups, eight passing the agility portion.

Equipment and grants: the chief said the department has received a 3D crime‑scene laser scanner funded by a New York State technology grant put forward by DC Cowen; the device required council approval to spend the awarded funds. He described how the scanner is set on the ground in multiple positions, “stitches” photographs into a three‑dimensional image and can be used for investigations such as homicides or fatal traffic crashes. He said the department received one scanner and a number of other portable radios and in‑car computer upgrades.

Dashboard and data interpretation: board members pressed the chief on differences between the department’s portal and other sources, including news outlets and third‑party aggregators. The Police Chief explained the dashboard contains the raw, reported incidents the department uploads; subsequent investigative or prosecutorial steps can change how incidents are classified in other datasets. He said outside analysts and the district attorney’s office present similar data differently and add disclaimers about methods.

Commons, Asteri and response partners: the chief said calls for service specifically assigned to the Commons have not increased and that many Asteri (a multiunit building discussed in the meeting) calls are contained to that building. He described periodic officer visibility on the Commons, occasional dedicated patrol cars when staffing allows, and partnerships with clinicians and the department’s care team to respond to behavioral‑health incidents. He identified REACH clinicians and a LEAD point of contact, Travis Brooks, as existing partners and said the department is coordinating with unarmed community responders and the city deputy manager, Dominique, on shared strategies.

Program work: the chief said criminal‑justice partnership programs such as a GIVE initiative and LEAD diversion strategies are part of the department’s effort to identify high‑risk individuals and reduce shootings by quickly arresting repeat offenders.

What’s next: the Police Chief told board members the department will continue recruiting, working with HR to speed background checks, and exploring quarterly or meeting‑level snapshots drawn from the dashboard. No formal policy changes or votes on equipment or staffing were taken at the meeting.

Ending: board members asked for more regular, accessible summaries of key statistics and for the department to consider ways to link reported dashboard numbers with later prosecutorial outcomes, to address perceived inconsistencies across public data sources.