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Hanford police report fewer overall calls but more proactive activity in midyear review
Summary
Chief Huddleston told the City Council that January–June 2025 calls for service fell roughly 5% from 2024 while officer‑initiated activity rose about 20%; staff and council discussed homicide and clearance‑rate changes and next steps for staffing and resource allocation.
Chief Huddleston told the Hanford City Council during a study session that the police department’s January–June 2025 statistics show modest declines in overall demand alongside increased proactive enforcement.
In his midyear presentation Huddleston said calls for service were down about 5% compared with the same period in 2024, while officer‑initiated incidents — traffic stops, pedestrian contacts and business checks — were up roughly 20%. He reported business and building checks rose about 112% and vehicle and pedestrian checks climbed 56% year over year. Traffic collisions and some categories of person crimes were lower overall, he said, but homicide deaths increased from three in the first half of 2024 to five so far in 2025.
Huddleston described clearance rate as the percentage of cases that investigators have closed — by arrest, referral to the district attorney or when no further leads remain — and said improved clearance rates reflect “effective investigations” and stronger visible policing. He and staff credited parts of the property‑crime decline to Prop 36 changes that allow repeat thefts to be charged as felonies in some circumstances.
Council members pressed for clarifications about the comparison window (January–June 2024 vs. 2025), what counts as officer‑initiated activity, and how upcoming Measure H hires could affect future numbers. Councilmember Kyres and others praised the visible patrols and asked staff to pass along council appreciation to line officers.
Several residents spoke during the public‑comment period, thanking the department for greater presence at community events and noting that increased visibility makes people feel safer. Chief Huddleston also confirmed an officer injured in a recent crash remains hospitalized in stable but serious condition and that peer‑support resources will be available to the family.
Staff said they will monitor trends through the remainder of 2025 and return with a year‑end report in 2026 that will better account for staffing additions and full‑year outcomes.
