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Lebanon City police switch to NIBRS reporting, highlight new record system and outreach
Summary
Police Chief Eric Sims told council the department went live Feb. 1, 2025, on a Tyler Technologies records system and began submitting crime data via NIBRS, a more detailed federal reporting standard; officials said modest statistical increases are expected due to reporting changes, not higher crime.
Police Chief Eric Sims told the Lebanon City Council on Nov. 24 that the department implemented a new Tyler Technologies report management system and began submitting crime data via the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS) on Feb. 1, 2025. "We went live with it 02/01/2025," Sims said, adding that the new software allows officers to complete reports in their vehicles and share records with neighboring agencies through a Lebanon County regional database.
Why it matters: NIBRS reports multiple offenses per incident rather than using the old UCR hierarchy rule, providing a more detailed picture of incidents. Sims said that nationally NIBRS yields only modest increases in reported crime — generally under 1% for violent crime and 2–3% for property offenses — driven by reporting structure rather than an actual spike in incidents. "It's not because the crime rate is going up," Sims said. "It's just the manner in which they're being reported."
Sims described analytic uses of the new system, including heat maps and time-frame queries that can help identify problem areas. He said the FBI and state certification were part of the onboarding process and that statewide adoption of NIBRS is the ultimate plan. Council members asked whether the system provides usable intelligence for deployment and investigations; Sims confirmed the reporting system produces the maps and data queries but distinguished that capability from NIBRS as the federal reporting standard.
Sims also announced an animal drop-off authorization form coordinated with the Humane Society to verify where stray dogs are found before accepting them, intended to prevent the city being charged for animals belonging to other municipalities. He highlighted the department's Crime Watch webpage metrics (143,770 visits through June 2025) and said the page ranks highly among Pennsylvania departments for content and community engagement.
The chief framed the technology and outreach changes as tools to improve transparency, data-driven policing and interagency cooperation. Councilmembers thanked Sims for the briefing and asked staff to share the training link and additional documentation for council review.
