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Chief reports lower crime totals and seeks $1M earmark for LPR and camera upgrades
Summary
Hopewell’s police chief told council that violent crime was down about 40% and total major crime down about 15% for the period reported; the department outlined staffing vacancies and requested a congressional earmark of roughly $1 million for expanded license‑plate recognition and public‑safety cameras with startup costs and ongoing operating estimates.
Hopewell’s police chief presented a March crime summary showing declines in several categories and outlined staffing and technology proposals the department plans to pursue.
The chief said violent crime for the reporting period was down about 40% and property crime was down about 6%, with total major crime reduced roughly 15% compared with the prior benchmark referenced. The department also provided a multi‑year crime comparison and performance indicators for emergency calls and patrol activity.
The chief reported staffing challenges: six police positions were unfilled and three emergency communications operator roles remained vacant, though recruitment and applicant processing were ongoing. The department also cited continuing work on community engagement, school outreach and neighborhood events.
On technology, the chief described a congressional earmark request for roughly $1 million to expand public‑safety camera coverage and license‑plate recognition (LPR) capabilities. The package described would upgrade to an "elite" Flock OS package, include enhanced LPR, two mobile security trailers, Flock video integration and infrastructure to support multiple camera streams; an initial startup figure was cited near $299,150 with recurring annual costs discussed in the presentation.
At the public comment period, resident Mark Burroughs urged caution about adopting Flock technology, noting that some U.S. cities have moved to restrict or remove similar systems and asking council to research community concerns before committing to a large investment.
What happens next: the police department will continue recruitment, refine budget requests and pursue federal earmark opportunities while council considers funding choices as part of the overall budget process.
