Shelton police present 2024 annual report showing staffing gaps, rising citations and steady calls for service

Police Chief Chris Kosted presented the Shelton Police Department’s 2024 annual report at the City Council study session on March 25, summarizing crime, staffing, training and professional‑standards data for council members and staff.

The report matters because it lays out patterns the council can weigh against budget decisions, staffing and community policing priorities: the department reported operating under the adopted budget for 2024, rising arrest and citation counts compared with 2023, and an internal review of increased traffic citations issued to Hispanic residents.

Kosted said the department’s adopted budget for last year was reported in the presentation as $4,100,000,000 and that the department closed the year about $250,000 under that figure. He attributed part of the underspend to vacant positions and lower overtime costs: “we came in under budget cut over time for $46,000,” Kosted said, contrasting that with a $28,000 overtime overrun in 2023. The department recorded 12,588 calls for service in 2024 versus 13,212 the previous year.

Kosted reported 645 arrests in 2024, up from 520 in 2023, and 637 citations issued last year compared with 364 in 2023. He told the council these increases are partly linked to newer officers who are “out there…