Police chief: calls for service jumped to 13,170 in 2025; department adds analysts and detectives
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Summary
The Liberty Lake Police Department reported a notable rise in calls for service in 2025 and described staffing additions and operational changes, while the chief also disclosed six use-of-force incidents and addressed an officer-involved shooting included in the year's data.
The Liberty Lake Police Department told the City Council on Feb. 17 that calls for service rose substantially in 2025 and that the department has added staff and analytical capacity to respond.
"In 2025, we responded to 13,170 calls for service," the chief said, citing year-to-year increases from 10,520 in 2024 and earlier years.
The chief said the department reported 711 offenses to the FBI's National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS) in 2025 and that staffing changes included three lateral officer hires and a lateral crime analyst. Those additions, he said, have enabled more proactive policing and a higher rate of case follow-up.
On enforcement metrics, the department reported 2,301 traffic stops and 296 citations in 2025; staff recorded 34 DUIs, 17 negligent-driving charges and 11 reckless-driving charges. Arrests included 131 incidents for fourth-degree assault, including numerous domestic-violence-related arrests.
The chief said the department recorded six incidents involving use of force during 2025 and described the department's emphasis on de-escalation. He also included an officer-involved shooting in the data set and, after a council question, corrected the year of that shooting when a member noted it occurred in 2024, not 2025.
Council members asked for clarification about response times and the city's crime-check process; the chief said the department has modified assignment procedures so officers contact complainants promptly rather than waiting for sergeants to triage reports. He described operational changes aimed at improving timeliness for cases that warrant follow-up.
The presentation also highlighted the department's investigative workload, including a multi-agency operation that used the Liberty Lake PD as a base and led to approximately 16 arrests in a regional operation; the chief said those arrested were not Liberty Lake residents.
No formal action was taken; council members thanked the chief and commended the department for community-oriented policing initiatives.