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Lake Jackson police present annual report highlighting technology upgrades, staffing shifts and fentanyl seizures
Summary
Police Chief reviewed the department's 2024 annual report, describing new report-management and policy platforms, staffing and training statistics, a large fentanyl seizure, drone and digital-forensics use, and ongoing narcotics and CID workload.
Lake Jackson Police Chief delivered the department's 2024 annual report at the June 2 City Council meeting, detailing recent technology changes, staffing turnover, training hours and notable enforcement results.
Chief highlighted two major technology changes: migration to an enterprise records-management system with CentralSquare and adoption of Lexipol for policy and training distribution, both intended to improve reporting, legal compliance and officer training. He said the department completed the CentralSquare swap in September and expects the Lexipol platform to assist with accreditation and push policy updates and training to officers.
The chief described staffing activity in 2024: the department hired seven officers and also lost seven during the year; he reported 725 unmanned patrol hours for the year (about 10% of patrol hours, roughly equivalent to 3.4 full-time positions). He said the traffic unit was reorganized under the training sergeant and the traffic detail now includes two motorcycle and two marked-car positions.
On enforcement and investigations, the chief said CID caseloads rose in part because detectives now take follow-up for patrol-initiated misdemeanors; an increase in referrals from state agencies also contributed. He said the department recorded two fatal traffic accidents in the year and noted a small rise in injury crashes while overall crash counts trended down.
The report emphasized digital-forensics and drone capabilities. The department now operates multiple drones (the chief said five) and a fast phone-processing machine for digital evidence; he said part of the purchase came from forfeiture funds and that neighboring agencies and the district attorney's office use the service. The chief credited drone thermal imaging and real-time situational awareness with improving officer safety in some critical incidents.
Chief summarized narcotics work, noting that recorded fentanyl seizures rose sharply: the department reported about 202 grams of seized fentanyl in 2024 versus 63 grams in 2023. He and council members noted the law-enforcement and public-health implications of that increase.
The chief closed by summarizing the department's training investments (several thousand hours across patrol, investigations and communications), the cadet/reimbursement program adjustments, and the department's ongoing efforts to recruit and retain personnel.
The council did not take formal action on the report; members asked clarifying questions about staffing, forensics partnerships and the costs and lifespan of equipment.
