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Parlier police present strategic plan as Part I crimes fall, seizes increase
Summary
The Parlier police chief presented a strategic plan emphasizing data-driven policing, community engagement, and expanded training; citywide Part I crimes in the third quarter were reported as down versus 2023 while firearms seizures rose from 13 to 19 year-to-date.
Parlier City’s police chief presented the department’s strategic plan to the city council, saying the department will focus on data-driven crime reduction, community engagement and expanded officer training to reduce violence and build public trust.
The chief told the council that Part I crimes are down in the third-quarter report compared with 2023, citing zero homicides, robbery down 78 percent, burglary down 71 percent, larceny down 65 percent, auto theft down 72 percent and arson down 70 percent. "We have no homicides," the chief said, calling the figures "very promising." He cautioned the report compares a three-quarter period to last year's full-year totals.
On enforcement and prevention, the chief said the department lacks a dedicated crime analyst and performs some data work in-house to identify hotspots and repeat offenders. He described community programs—including Citizens on Patrol, an Explorer program, a citizen advisory board and an upcoming clergy council—to expand neighborhood outreach and town-hall style meetings.
The chief outlined training priorities for new and veteran officers: de-escalation, crisis intervention, cultural competency, search-and-seizure and use-of-force training, and leadership and mental-health wellness. He said limited grant funding has helped and the department is arranging specialized, sometimes out-of-town courses: "Some of those executive-type trainings ... are very specialized," he said.
The presentation also covered technology and watermarked digital-evidence management, with the chief noting the department’s participation in Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) investigations in cooperation with Fresno County. On firearms, the chief said the department confiscated 13 firearms last year and 19 so far this year, adding, "We're up 46 percent ... getting weapons off the street."
Councilmembers asked how officers are trained to handle mental-health crises. The chief said half the force is fairly new and that scheduled trainings and coordination with Fresno County's Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) are intended to reduce arrests during mental-health episodes and increase use of crisis-response resources.
The council did not take action on police policy during the presentation; the chief said the department will continue regular performance monitoring through weekly and monthly supervisory meetings and quarterly public reporting.
