Public Safety Director reports 17,072 officer incidents in 2024, cites outreach and staffing needs

Public Safety Director Carole Widman told the Highland City Council the department handled a record 17,072 total incidents in 2024, an increase of 43% from the prior year.

Widman said the rise largely reflects community-focused, self-initiated activity — foot patrols, business checks and community outreach — and not a single concentrated crime trend. "Community commitment is the most important element to me," she said.

The report noted property crashes rose 48% while crimes against property fell 24%. Fraud incidents were up 16.5 percent, and the department recorded a rise in DUI investigations and stable drug-offense figures. Widman said the department will emphasize public education, including outreach to seniors and increased social-media messaging, to address fraud and other trends.

Widman also described several notable investigations: 15 vehicle burglaries coordinated with neighboring agencies, a serial rapist investigation, and a significant defacement case solved after social-media leads. She identified two School Resource Officers: Officer Biggs assigned to the high school and middle school, and Officer Clewis at the elementary and primary schools, and said elementary/primary incidents were largely domestic matters handled outside school reporting.

On staffing and code enforcement, Widman reported Building & Zoning/Code currently has two employees and experienced a 33% increase in code cases in 2024; the city is planning to hire another building inspector. She also flagged a countywide radio project whose costs are not yet known and appear not to be included in the proposed budget.

The council did not take separate action on the presentation. The report was presented as part of the staff reports at the March 17 meeting; department officials indicated follow-up on outreach plans and staffing needs would be coordinated with the FY 2025–26 budget process.