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Stolen vehicle reports spike in 2024; SROs now full-time in elementary schools, commission told
Summary
Commissioners were told stolen-vehicle reports rose from 17 in 2023 to 40 in 2024; the department deployed full-time school resource officers to elementary schools as of Jan. 2 and reported other year-to-year shifts in calls for service.
At the Jan. 15 meeting, the police chief reported a marked increase in stolen-vehicle reports, noting figures rose from 17 in 2023 to 40 in 2024.
The chief said most thefts continue to involve vehicles left unlocked with keys inside and that some thefts appear targeted; a subset of vehicles have been stolen for resale while others are taken for short-term use or to facilitate other crimes. The chief said most stolen vehicles are later recovered but that some are seriously damaged when recovered.
The commission also reviewed monthly statistics showing declines in family-dispute calls (from 83 to 49 year to year) and in reported school-bus violations (from 138 to 70). Motor-vehicle enforcement activity was trending upward, the chief said.
On staffing, the chief said the department stands at 50 officers and that as of Jan. 2 school resource officers are full-time in the elementary schools; newer officers who completed field training are filling vacancies created by SRO assignments.
Why it matters: A local increase in vehicle thefts affects public safety and resident behavior; SRO placements change how patrol staffing is allocated.
Next steps: The department will continue public education about securing vehicles and monitor targeted theft trends; the chief said he will follow up on an item flagged in the packet (a motor-vehicle code labeled “BAS”) to clarify that entry in the statistics.
