Salinas Police present 2024 annual report; city approved civilian hires and vehicle cameras

Assistant Chief Luis Bravo presented a condensed version of the Salinas Police Department’s 2024 annual report to the Salinas Police Advisory Committee on Aug. 27, highlighting an overall fall in homicide numbers, sustained response-time performance for high-priority calls and growth in community programs such as the cadet and outreach efforts.

The presentation said the department handled approximately 132,147 calls for service in 2024 and recorded about 2,115 arrests. Bravo told the committee that the department’s priority 1 response time — measured from the moment a dispatcher directs officers to respond until the officer arrives on scene — averaged roughly three to four minutes, and that homicide counts fell to six in 2024, a roughly 45% decrease from prior years. "1 is too many," Bravo said of homicides.

Why it matters: the report and council actions discussed at the meeting show how the department is positioning staffing, technology and community outreach alongside enforcement. Committee members asked for clarity on how priority levels are defined, how online reporting is handled and what steps the department is taking on motor-vehicle theft and Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigations.

Key figures and programs: the department reported about 139 sworn officers at the time of the annual report, with an authorized strength of 161 and a mix of recruits and vacancies. The department emphasized a growing…