Decatur police report first-quarter call increases, new public safety building timeline set for summer

The Decatur Police Department presented its first-quarter activity report to the city council, reporting 10,364 calls for service in Decatur for the quarter and providing staffing and construction updates for the department's new public-safety facility.

Police staff reported quarterly totals for calls for service (Decatur 10,364; Boyd 1,658; Rome 1,950) and noted the department completed 771 hours of training during the quarter. The department investigated 62 crashes, issued 2,119 citations, recorded 59 arrests and issued approximately 861 warnings in the quarter. The presenter said calls for service in the first quarter increased by 4,226 compared with the same period in 2024, while the department logged eight fewer crashes and seven fewer arrests; citation and warning counts were higher compared with last year.

Staff described the new public-safety building as under construction: interior finishes and tile work are underway, major building construction is projected to be complete in June, dispatch furniture arrival in July, an August 2 open house and a planned move-in on August 4. On staffing, council asked about dispatch coverage for Decatur and neighboring jurisdictions; police staff said current arrangements have one dispatcher covering Boyd, Rome and EMS and that a third full-time dispatcher may be needed by year-end if call volumes continue to grow. The presentation also noted community engagement events, including the department's involvement with local leadership programs and a 'pizza party' community event.

Why it matters: The report gives council an operational snapshot and a near-term timeline for the department's facility that will centralize dispatch and other services. Staffing projections will affect operating budgets and service levels if additional dispatcher positions are authorized.