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Police chief reports drop in several crime measures, rise in drug cases; council accepts 2025 annual report
Summary
The Beresford Police Chief reported decreases in overall calls for service and several crime categories for 2025 but said drug cases rose about 60%. Council accepted the department’s annual report and discussed equipment and community engagement needs.
The Police Chief told the Beresford City Council that the department handled 2,691 calls for service in 2025, a roughly 15% decrease from 2024, and that several major crime categories showed year‑over‑year declines but drug cases rose sharply.
"Our calls for service in 2025, were 2,691 calls," the Police Chief said, adding that violent or major offenses were down about 34% and thefts fell about 8%. He said drug‑related cases increased by about 60%, a change he attributed in part to enhanced detection and a newly trained drug recognition expert in the department.
The chief said the department received a highway safety grant that provides $20,000 for federal overtime to support DUI and impaired‑driving enforcement through July 2026. Traffic stops last year were about 1,000 (a roughly 28% decrease), DUI arrests were down 14%, and total arrests were 88 (down about 16%).
He described equipment and technology work: the department is testing new park camera systems after an officer‑involved shooting exposed blind spots, has upgraded radars and less‑lethal devices slated for training, and is acquiring tent meters and other enforcement tools. He also outlined community‑engagement efforts, including school visits and job‑fair outreach.
Councilors asked whether additional resources were needed; the chief said current staffing and equipment largely meet needs but that targeted upgrades to cameras and a possible substation upgrade for power (for other agenda items) may be needed later.
A motion to accept the Beresford Police Department 2025 annual report was made, seconded and carried on a voice vote. The council did not attach additional funding in this meeting; next steps on technology upgrades were left to staff review and future agenda items.
