Radford police chief: mental‑health calls, dispatch volume and a $230,000 grant shaped 2025
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Summary
Police Chief Holdaway told the council the department answered about 17,363 calls in 2025, dispatch handled roughly 53,000 calls, mental‑health calls average 80–120 per month and the city secured roughly $230,000 from an Operation Ceasefire grant to target gun‑violence hotspots.
Chief Holdaway presented the Radford Police Department's annual report to council on March 23, summarizing public‑safety activity in 2025 and early 2026 and outlining several initiatives the department has pursued.
Holdaway said the emergency communications center managed roughly 53,000 calls in the year, while the police department recorded about 17,363 calls for service. The chief called out animal control: a newly refurbished four‑bay facility opened in May and the city took in nearly 400 animals and fielded about 600 animal‑control calls.
On mental‑health responses, Holdaway told council Radford averages between 80 and 120 mental‑health calls per month and that the city accounts for about 19% of NRVCS emergency custody orders — a higher share per capita than neighboring jurisdictions. He described Radford's co‑responder program (a mental‑health professional from NRVCS named 'Kevin') and said the city had implemented that model despite not meeting statutory staffing guidelines, and that it has helped diffuse situations and provide alternatives to arrest or emergency detention.
Holdaway also discussed gun‑crime work: Radford received approximately $230,000 through an Operation Ceasefire grant approved by council last month to deploy officers for targeted enforcement; the department is also using technology to match shell casings and better link recovered firearms to crimes. He said the PD seized 50 firearms in 2025, double the prior year.
Traffic and crash data show mixed results: the department facilitated roughly 360 crash responses in 2025 and reported an uptick in injuries and several fatalities across the year and into 2026. Narcotics charges and DUI incidents were down, Holdaway said, and use‑of‑force incidents remained rare (he cited a use‑of‑force rate of about 0.42% per interaction).
Council members thanked the chief, asked clarifying questions about co‑responder operations and community safety, and received assurances the department will continue targeting enforcement and community engagement measures.