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Brown Deer police report shows falling crime rates but warns of staffing shortages
Summary
The police chief reported year‑over‑year declines in thefts, vehicle thefts and robberies and described active community engagement. The department also flagged recruitment challenges and said it is exploring contracts for quicker cell‑phone evidence downloads.
Brown Deer Police Department presented its annual report to the village board, highlighting sustained reductions in several crime categories while warning of ongoing staffing challenges.
The police chief said thefts were down substantially in 2024 and that 2025 figures continue to trend downward. "We're seeing reductions in motor vehicle theft and robberies compared to last year," the chief said, citing a multi‑year decline in certain offenses. The department also reported traffic crashes and personal injury accidents down year to date.
The chief emphasized community programming — including Coffee with a Cop, National Night Out and school outreach — and a partnership with a local retailer he credited with helping reduce retail crime. At the same time, he said recruiting for law enforcement remains difficult and that the department has at times been down to two officers. To improve investigations, the department plans to contract with an outside vendor for cell‑phone data extraction to reduce delays in evidence processing.
Board members discussed the potential need for additional officers as commercial development increases and noted the community survey indicated 58% support for a potential police‑staffing referendum. No formal budget or staffing decisions were made at the meeting.
