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Porterville police report staffing gains and drop in violent crime; analyst role funded by Measure I
Summary
Porterville police told the oversight committee they have added lateral hires, filled a specialized unit and used data analysis funded in part by Measure I to focus patrols; the department reported declines in violent crime and no homicides in the most recent 19-month period referenced in the meeting.
Chief Jake Castello, identified in the meeting as the city police chief, told the oversight committee that the department has been hiring lateral officers, filled an ‘‘out-of-control’’ (specialized) unit and brought on a police analyst position paid in part with Measure I funds to support predictive policing.
Castello said the analyst provides weekly and monthly data snapshots that help commanders allocate patrols to areas with elevated vehicle burglaries, auto thefts and other trends. He said that the department has shifted to a more proactive posture and that technology and increased staffing have been important elements in that change.
On crime trends, Castello reported Porterville saw a decline in violent crime and that the city had not recorded a homicide in the period he referenced — "we haven't had a homicide in literally 19 months," he said in the meeting transcript. He said some categories of property crime rose slightly during a recent month (he cited a seasonal spike), and that serious traffic collisions had increased; the department has shifted resources to address those collisions.
The chief also noted additional staffing for the city’s special methods and resources team, which handles encounters involving people experiencing homelessness and mental-health crises; he said that unit’s increased resources have contributed to a downward trend in related incidents.
Why it matters: Staffing levels, data-driven deployment and specialized response teams affect public-safety outcomes and are supported by Measure I dollars, which the committee was reviewing in the meeting.
Questions from committee members focused on capacity, staffing levels and the department’s shift from reactive to proactive policing. The chief said the staffing and technology changes grew out of the 2023–24 budget process and remain an active element of departmental planning.
