Bay City Police chief presents 2024 annual report; department cites lower crime index and expanded training

Bay City Police Chief Cristela Rodriguez presented the department’s 2024 annual report to council, highlighting accreditation, staffing and training efforts and year‑over‑year crime trends.

Rodriguez said the department achieved reaccreditation from the Texas Police Chiefs Association and continued recruiting efforts at local academies and hiring events to address staffing shortages. She cited technological upgrades completed in 2024, including the integration of online reporting and radio encryption.

The department reported roughly 27,000 calls for service (staff noted the counting methodology changed after code enforcement moved to public works), about 4,330 contact/traffic stops and 1,009 arrests for the year. Rodriguez said the Uniform Crime Index showed declines in several categories: criminal homicides were down by three (reporting zero the prior year), simple assaults down by 74 incidents, burglaries down by 32, and motor-vehicle thefts down by six. Officers responded to 188 family‑violence calls in 2024 compared with 247 the previous year.

Rodriguez highlighted community programs such as the Christmas Shop at the Cop, scholarships and victim services funded through grant positions. The department provided 6,309 hours of training in 2024, up from 3,963 hours in the prior reporting period, and certified five officers as instructors in active‑shooter response so the department can provide in‑house training required by state law.

Council members thanked the chief and staff; Rodriguez said the full 2024 annual report would be posted to the city website along with accomplishments for the year.