Toledo police report declines in shootings, outline foot‑patrol and drone pilot plans

Toledo Police Chief Trendley told the City Council Public Safety and Criminal Justice Reform Committee that the department’s first‑quarter 2025 CompStat indicators show reductions in most tracked violent‑crime categories compared with the same period in 2024.

Chief Trendley said the department recorded a 60% reduction in homicides and a 38% reduction in persons shot. Shootings overall were down 16% and burglary, auto theft and theft from vehicles were down by 15%, 18% and 24% respectively. Robberies briefly rose before targeted enforcement; Trendley said the department’s interventions brought robberies to a 5% reduction as of the morning of the meeting.

The presentation noted staffing at “647 sworn,” which the chief said included 38 officers in the police academy. He described internal‑affairs activity for the quarter as 41 total complaints, 37 of which he characterized as administrative investigations generated internally; most concluded with verbal reprimands, and the department issued seven suspensions in the quarter. Trendley also reviewed department goals: a drone first‑responder pilot expected in May, a 14.6% reduction so far in the drug chemistry backlog, homicide‑investigation training for recently assigned detectives and traffic‑safety enforcement aimed at cutting fatal crashes.

Why it matters: the department framed the reductions as early positive results but emphasized continuing investments in personnel, training and targeted patrols. Several council members used the Q&A to press for more detail on topics not in the slide deck.

Council members asked for additional data the department did not include in the presentation. Councilman Serrantu asked whether a recent fatal incident in which a tree fell on a stopped vehicle would be counted as a motor‑vehicle incident; Trendley said he would check with the traffic lieutenant and follow up. Councilwoman Williams asked for domestic‑violence crime statistics; Trendley said domestic‑violence is not included in the CompStat chart shown but offered to provide year‑to‑date comparisons and crime counts by referral. Williams also asked whether the department could assign a second full‑time detective to domestic violence; Trendley said staffing constraints and a temporary hiring freeze had limited backfilling but that backfilling would be considered as academy graduates join patrol staffing.

On community engagement, Trendley described foot patrols launched April 1 in two full‑time target areas (Scott Park and the Central District), supplemented by bike patrols and monthly target areas elsewhere. He said officers’ presence had yielded “positive feedback” from residents. He also confirmed two small utility‑style “golf cart” vehicles would be used by foot‑patrol personnel and for downtown events.

The chief took several follow‑up referrals: provide domestic‑violence crime counts (2024 versus 2025 Q1), clarify classification of the tree‑strike fatality for traffic statistics, and report back on staffing details for the domestic‑violence unit.

Trendley concluded by reiterating departmental goals and opening the floor for committee questions.