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Chatham County Police report small rise in Part 1 crimes in 2024; guns stolen from vehicles nearly double
Summary
The Chatham County Police Department reported 1,671 Part 1 crimes in 2024—a roughly 1% increase from the prior year—with a near doubling in guns stolen from vehicles. The department highlighted a homicide clearance rate above the national average and described outreach through its Behavioral Health Unit.
The Chatham County Police Department reported 1,671 Part 1 crimes in 2024, a roughly 1% increase from 2023, and told the county commission that firearms stolen from vehicles rose sharply: officers reported 130 guns stolen from 117 vehicles in 2024, up from 63 guns from 58 vehicles in 2023. The department said only four of the 2024 incidents involved forced entry.
Chief Jeff Hadley presented the department’s annual/quarterly report, noting that the county’s homicide clearance rate for the seven-year period is about 81% (29 of 36 homicides cleared), above national averages cited by the chief (60–65%). Chief Hadley also highlighted the department’s use-of-force statistics for 2024: 186 officer-involved use-of-force incidents, 137 of which were hands-on techniques; taser deployments occurred seven times and officers displayed firearms 33 times; the department reported one officer‑involved shooting in seven years of the department’s existence.
The chief characterized the increase in guns‑from‑autos as a largely preventable public-safety problem, noting that most thefts involved unlocked vehicles. He described community outreach efforts and said the department encourages residents to lock vehicles and secure firearms; the county acknowledged the City of Savannah has adopted an ordinance under which owners may face penalties when a firearm is reported stolen from an unlocked vehicle, and commissioners discussed both deterrence and reporting effects of such ordinances.
The department showed metrics for its Behavioral Health Unit (BHU), which the chief described as a key resource for diversion and follow-up: the BHU handled 2,217 suicidal-subject calls, 317 mental-health person calls, had 201 active clients and conducted 235 follow-up encounters in 2024. The chief said many patrol officers referred residents to the BHU as part of on-scene diversion to services.
Why it matters: The near doubling of guns reported stolen from vehicles raises immediate public-safety concerns for residents and law enforcement leaders; the department urged steps residents can take to reduce risk and described ongoing training, staffing and community-outreach efforts.
Commissioners and the chief discussed law enforcement and court responses to vehicle-entry crimes (state criminal statutes govern entering an auto), the role of municipal ordinances, and how sentencing and prosecution depend on the person’s criminal history and prosecutorial charging decisions. Chief Hadley also noted the department’s staffing level (128 sworn officers out of 160 budgeted positions at the time of the report) and described a new POST‑academy curriculum that will change training cadence and extend certification hours.
The chief and commissioners praised the BHU and the department’s investigative work in major cases, and encouraged continued community outreach and prevention efforts.
