Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Police Operations topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Toledo Police report declines in most crime categories, discuss north‑west substation moves and drone pilot
Summary
Police reported year-to-date drops in most crime types but an increase of one homicide; staffing sits at about 620 sworn with cadet classes underway; the department plans a drone-as-first-responder pilot and is working with council on substation relocation options.
The Toledo Police Department briefed the Public Safety Committee on crime trends, staffing and community-station plans.
Deputy chiefs reported that most crime categories are down year to date: shootings down about 19 percent, persons shot down 21 percent, robberies down 27 percent, burglaries down about 6 percent and auto thefts down about 4 percent. Homicides were up by one incident, a 4 percent increase compared with the prior year-to-date figure.
Staffing figures were discussed: sworn strength was reported at about 620 officers and 33 cadets were in the academy with a planned graduation in November. The department reported 39 retirements or departures so far this year with at least seven more confirmed departures expected. Recruiting metrics improved versus last year: slightly more applicants, more people taking the physical test and modest increases in pass rates, the department said.
The department said it expects to start a drone-as-first-responder pilot the week of Sept. 15, beginning with training and aiming to launch late that week if steps proceed as planned.
Council members raised substation and neighborhood-presence issues. Police said a Cherry Street facility is the earliest planned move-in spot, expected to begin early September; Northwest District Station officers are likely to remain at the current station for several weeks more because moves are a domino effect between facilities. The department said it is exploring smaller neighborhood-office models and possible mall space for recruiting and that any pilot could be expanded citywide if successful.
Council members also pressed on community service officers and vehicle availability for non-field units. The department acknowledged older vehicles in certain units and said some new vehicles were purchased this year; replacements are trickling down as new units arrive. On domestic-violence responses, police said a two-officer response is standard, call-takers attempt to gather weapons information and additional units are dispatched when callers report weapons; officers are trained to approach domestic calls cautiously.
Council members requested updates on substation timelines, CSO replacements and equipment distribution; police said background and PT testing for the recruiting pipeline continue and anticipated a March class next year depending on budget and other factors.
