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Tallahassee Police report drop in violent crime, cite staffing gains and real‑time crime center results
Summary
Police commanders told the commission violent crime fell about 15.5% in 2024, homicide clearance was near 95% and the department is expanding recruitment and a real‑time crime center used for investigations and rapid response.
The Police Department reported a decline in violent crime for 2024, increased staffing and expanded use of analytics at a commission workshop presentation.
The department’s leadership said the city recorded a 15.5% reduction in violent crimes in the most recent year and that the homicide unit achieved an almost 95% clearance rate, compared with a national average near 58%. “You commit a homicide in Tallahassee, we're gonna find you and we're gonna put you in jail,” the chief told the commission.
Staffing and recruitment: The chief reported the department’s authorized full‑time positions total 513 with 395 sworn officer positions; at the time of the workshop 386 sworn positions were filled and the department was working to fill a remaining nine vacancies. Presenters said 13 recruits were at the academy and 14 were in field training.
Real‑time crime center and technology: The department said its real‑time crime center has been used to query subjects and license plates to help officers respond with more information; presenters said the center’s analysts had queried roughly 19,500 subjects and more than 22,000 vehicles and had assisted in recovering over 150 vehicles. The center also supported a recent investigation in which license‑plate recognition and analytics helped identify and apprehend suspects who fled a scene and struck an officer.
Community engagement and awards: Police leaders and commissioners highlighted the department’s community programs (youth sports, outreach, Senior advisory and community events), partnerships with the Urban League on a “lock your car” safety campaign, and national awards given to investigators and units. The department said officer morale is high and that recruitment efforts include an expanded geographic reach into neighboring states.
Ending: Commissioners thanked the department for the decline in violent crime and asked for follow‑up details on neighborhood‑level trends, staffing plans and community programs; the chief said more data by police zone would be available on request.
