Seaside police report drops in crime and traffic injuries; department highlights new tech and staffing goals

Police Chief Nick Borges told the Seaside City Council on Feb. 6 that overall reported crime in Seaside fell 4% in 2024, continuing a multi-year downward trend that included a 37% drop in an earlier year and roughly a one-third decline over five years.

Borges said the department saw reductions across many major categories and emphasized the longer-term picture: “In the last 3 years, we have reduced the violent crime and overall crime in Seaside by over 50%,” he said. He also noted that auto thefts were a relative outlier, with a small increase of five reported vehicle thefts; the department credited improved detection and recovery tools for raising the recovery rate on stolen vehicles.

Traffic and injuries: Borges said injury collisions declined from 93 in the prior year to 63 in 2024. High-incident roadways remain focused on Fremont and Del Monte, where the department has concentrated enforcement and temporary field-office activity. Chief Borges said parking citations rose after an earlier pause in enforcement and that the department is using dedicated parking-enforcement staff.

Staffing and operations: Borges reported 29 sworn personnel in the department at the time of the presentation (including command staff, sergeants and detectives) with several vacancies; non-sworn staff numbered 14. The chief said recruitment has improved and that several candidates were in the hiring pipeline.

Technology and programs: The presentation listed recent technology investments and programs: - Adoption of the Taser 10 platform (a longer-range conducted-energy device). - Expansion of the department’s drone program and mutual assistance to help neighboring jurisdictions stand up similar programs. - Launch of “pursuit alerts,” an app-based alert that notifies drivers on certain mapping apps when the department is engaged in a high-speed response in a local area; Seaside was the first agency in the state to adopt the program. - Creation of an AID (Alliance for Individuals with Disabilities) voluntary registry to give dispatchers and officers critical information about residents with disabilities to reduce risk in emergency responses.

Cold cases and community outreach: Borges said detectives continue to work unsolved homicides and cold cases; he reported 33 unsolved homicides currently in the department’s files and highlighted ongoing work that may lead to future case resolutions. The department described community-facing efforts including a remodeled police lobby, a youth cadet program and neighborhood outreach events.

Council follow up and next steps: Council members asked for a breakdown of specific citation categories (for example DUI and speeding) and for periodic updates on staffing, parking enforcement outcomes and cold-case progress. The chief said he will provide more-detailed breakdowns and follow up on questions about gun recoveries, DUI enforcement counts and bicycle-collision demographics.

Ending: Council members and the chief praised the department’s outreach and technology gains and asked the police to return with requested metric breakdowns and recruitment updates.