Hopewell police outline hiring progress and technology-backed crime-reduction plans

Chief Taylor presented the Hopewell Police Department’s recruitment and crime-reduction update, reporting the department received approximately 195 applicants since March 2025 and completed roughly 47 background investigations. The department said it has filled eight police positions and one dispatch position since March.

Taylor said recent hires include seven new recruits and one pre-certified officer; four of those recruits are attending the Basic Academy and are expected to graduate in December, but will not be released to solo patrol until approximately April. Taylor said recruits who are not pre-certified typically require an academy term plus field training before they can work independently — “it’s almost a year before they’re in a solo capacity,” she said.

Staff described several changes to recruitment and background processes: forming a recruitment committee of more than 10 members, creating digital intake forms (a scannable barcode used at hiring events and on social media), separating continuous NeoGov postings for certified and entry-level applicants, and switching many reference checks from mail to telephone to speed processing.

Taylor reviewed hiring incentives: a $20,000 sign-on bonus for certified officers (with additional increases based on verified years of experience, up to six years accepted), a $12,000 bonus for uncertified recruits after academy completion, a take-home car program following FTO completion (within a 35-mile radius of the city), a $4,000 referral bonus for employees who refer hires who complete all training, and educational reimbursement for college coursework. The department reported a maximum authorized police staffing of 68 and current sworn staffing of 58; ten positions are open, three of which are unfunded until Jan. 1, 2026, and two frozen until July 1, 2026 because of budget constraints and a recent pay-scale change.

On crime reduction, Taylor described technology and partnerships the department is using: an Avocado Security video system for situational awareness, Flock Safety license-plate readers, a data-driven approach to deploy resources, and participation in regional task forces (a detective assigned to a 1B task force and one to the Capital Area Regional fugitive task force). The department also highlighted community programs it supports, such as Project Safe, Alive and Free, the Citizens Police Academy and outreach events (foot patrols, business checks, National Night Out and drug take-back days).

Taylor requested an earmark of $209,699.70 (amount stated in the presentation) that she said would fund consolidated technology upgrades — including enhanced LPRs, a video integration gateway and Flock Safety gunshot detectors — and noted eligibility limits of earmark grants (maximum equipment and program thresholds discussed in the presentation). She also said the department applied for equipment funding through an Operation Ceasefire request and that equipment requests exceeding $100,000 were included for the detective division and technology.

Vice Mayor Jordan thanked Taylor for the report. Taylor closed by offering to answer council questions.