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Bellevue Police report 6% drop in 2024 crime; chiefs outline staffing gains and recruitment efforts
Summary
Chief Wendell Shirley told the City Council the department saw a 6% drop in overall reported crime in 2024 and described hiring and retention steps that reduced vacancies since April 2024. The department also reported improved response times, a community survey program and targeted initiatives for shoplifting and domestic violence.
Bellevue Police Chief Wendell Shirley told the City Council on Feb. 4 that the department’s 2024 crime statistics show a 6% reduction in overall reported crime and described ongoing recruiting and retention efforts to rebuild staffing after regional and national workforce pressures.
"Our 2024 crime statistics show us that we had a 6% reduction in our overall crime," Chief Shirley said in the study session. He reported a 2% reduction in crimes against persons, a 7% reduction in crimes against property, and a 4% increase in crimes against society driven largely by drug-related reports tied to changes in law and enforcement practice after the 2021 Blake decision and a 2023 legislative fix.
Chief Shirley outlined staffing numbers and recruiting steps: the department is authorized for 206 commissioned officers and "currently have 190 filled," with 46 new commissioned hires reported during 2024 (a net gain of 17 officers over the reporting period). He said the department had roughly 16 vacancies at the time of the presentation and noted the council-approved incentives that have helped recruitment, including take-home vehicles and hiring bonuses. Shirley told council "we've had about 5 laterals take advantage of" the $30,000 lateral hiring bonus so far.
On response and community measures, the department reported an average emergency response time of 3 minutes, 35 seconds, and said it gave nearly 3,800 survey responses via a text-based follow-up system with an average rating of 4.45 out of 5. The department said shoplifting was the most-reported crime category in 2024 (about a 9% increase, roughly 125 additional reports) and described a holiday "Stop the Lift" initiative that produced 161 arrests. The department also emphasized work on domestic violence, citing the value of a domestic-violence advocate embedded with the department.
Council members asked for additional data and follow-up in several areas. Mayor Lee Robinson asked whether Bellevue tracks hate crimes; Chief Shirley said the department does track hate- and bias-motivated incidents and reports crime data through NIBRS. Councilmembers pressed for breakdowns of lateral hires versus new recruits and for more detail on academy throughput; staff said they would provide additional numbers.
Chief Shirley also described internal steps to improve retention, including officer wellness support, supervisory training, internal communications, recognition programs and promotional opportunities. He said department leadership is reviewing organizational structure and span of control and looking at a reorganization that would rebalance supervisory responsibilities.
Ending: The presentation concluded with council questions and requests for follow-up on hate-crime figures, lateral hires and other staffing details. The department said it would return with additional data and continue working with the council on priorities.
