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Brown Deer police report shows multi‑year declines in theft and violence but staffing remains strained
Summary
The police chief reported year‑over‑year reductions in retail theft, vehicle theft and robberies and lower traffic‑related crashes, but warned staffing is low and recruitment remains a challenge; staff discussed training, cell‑phone forensics contracts and county mental‑health response partnerships.
The Brown Deer police chief updated the Village Board on crime trends and department operations as part of the department‑by‑department budget reviews.
The chief reported substantial decreases in several crime categories: retail thefts and vehicle thefts declined compared with 2024, robberies were down about 41% in 2024 with further reductions so far in 2025, and traffic‑related crashes were down roughly 17% year‑to‑date. The department credited targeted patrols, business partnerships (including a Walmart partnership) and community engagement programs for some of the improvements.
At the same time the chief emphasized staffing concerns. He said the department has struggled with recruitment and retention, at times operating with as few as two officers on duty; the village is actively recruiting and engaging technical colleges and youth outreach to build the hiring pipeline. The department proposed limited budget increases for contracted services (cell‑phone extraction/forensics) and uniforms, and said adding new sworn positions would be a topic for future budget and possibly referendum discussions.
On responses to mental‑health crises, the chief said 15 officers are trained in a 40‑hour critical‑incident response course and that a countywide mental‑health response team — when available — deploys mental‑health professionals alongside deputies to assist de‑escalation.
Trustees thanked the department for its community engagement programs (Coffee with a Cop, National Night Out, school outreach) and noted the survey results showing high public satisfaction with police services.
Next steps: staff will include police budget requests in the Oct. 6 budget review and the village may consider options (including interagency overtime arrangements) to address staffing if development increases policing demands.
