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Police report shows mixed trends in calls and training; board approves 11 conditional hires
Summary
Police reported increased year-to-date calls, fewer weapons events compared with last year and ongoing community-engagement training; the board approved 11 conditional offers of employment by unanimous roll call.
The Bloomington Police Department reported mixed trends in January data and described ongoing training and outreach efforts at the Board of Public Safety meeting on Feb. 18, and the board approved 11 conditional offers of employment.
Police staff said year-to-date calls for service are substantially higher compared with the prior two years; the department cited an increase of about 1,117 calls for the comparable period. Traffic stops were lower than the previous year but higher than 2023. At the time of the report the department had recorded 17 events involving weapons year to date, down from 54 at the comparable point in 2023.
Training and outreach
The department reported 2,225 training hours last month overall. Twenty-five officers completed the "Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement" course. Other specialized training included communications for effective leaders, group response training, a civil-disturbance unit course and continued ride-along and community-engagement events. Police social workers and outreach specialists reported coordinated responses with community partners (including Stride Center and Centerstone), referrals to recovery centers and help with housing-entry processes.
Personnel
The police department reported 90 employees on payroll before the conditional offers. The board approved conditional offers for 11 candidates (names listed below); staff said the conditional offers are contingent on completion of the remaining hiring steps. The department reported eight officers in field training at various stages, one officer currently at the academy (expected to graduate in late April), four officers on extended sick leave or light duty and one officer on military deployment.
Conditional offers approved by the board (contingent on hiring-step completion)
Jason Shabitz; Tony Thomas; Zachary Hawkins; Matthew Pearson; Andrew Tillett; James Shields; Shelby Megginen; Caleb Brinson; Garrett Day; Jared Bell; Brandon Badola. (Vote: unanimous recorded roll call.)
No policy or salary changes were approved at this meeting; board members asked staff to provide compensation-comparison information later in the year.
