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NOPD reports crime declines, calls for realistic overtime funding and reviews ShotSpotter pilot
Summary
NOPD presented year-to-date declines in homicides, nonfatal shootings and carjackings, described a Fifth District ShotSpotter pilot that detected 482 events and yielded shell-casing evidence, and asked the council to fund overtime at realistic levels tied to staffing needs rather than leave overtime at zero in the adopted baseline.
NOPD leaders told the council that many crime categories are down year over year and that place-based enforcement and community programs contributed to localized reductions. The department reported 98 homicides year-to-date (vs. 104 at the same point last year) and cited double-digit declines in several shooting metrics and carjackings.
ShotSpotter pilot: NOPD described a pilot of a gun-detection system (SoundThinking, formerly ShotSpotter) concentrated in the Fifth District. The pilot logged 482 detected events; officers collected more than 2,000 shell casings for forensic comparison and found evidentiary items on approximately 31% of detections. NOPD said the pilot shows the system detects shots that aren't called in to 911 and helps direct evidence collection.
Overtime and staffing: Chiefs said persistent overtime spending (historically $20—5M+ some years) reflected staffing shortfalls. The department cautioned that while overtime has been high, the budgetary break-even point can make overtime fiscally preferable to hiring until a certain staffing level is reached. NOPD asked council to incorporate a realistic overtime allocation in the 2026 budget rather than assuming zero funding.
Bottom line: NOPD asked the council for a mix of staffing investments and realistic overtime funding to avoid destabilizing policing capacity while it pursues longer-term recruitment and retention gains.
