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Police chief reports record calls, steady crime mix and staffing pressures
Summary
Police Chief Craig Black told council the department responded to nearly 12,000 calls last year, with 314 domestic violence calls, 433 accidents, 22 overdose responses (5 Narcan saves) and about 4,015 traffic stops; he highlighted investigative workload and potential legislative changes affecting domestic‑violence follow‑up.
Chief Craig Black presented the semiannual police department report, outlining administrative structure, patrol operations, specialized units and key service statistics. He said the department responded to about 11,938 calls for service last year (a record), including 314 domestic violence calls, 433 traffic accidents, 22 overdose responses with five lives saved by Narcan administered by officers, and roughly 4,015 traffic stops.
"Last year, we responded...to almost 12,000 calls for service," Chief Black said, noting staff are often stretched and that detectives close dozens of complex cases: "With these five detectives in 2025, there were 288 cases assigned to them which they closed with another 43 arrests on top of that." He outlined patrol shift structure, the K‑9 unit's role, training requirements and victim‑support functions handled by records staff.
Chief Black warned that pending legislative requirements—such as a possible mandate to assign domestic‑violence cases to detectives within 48 hours if patrol does not make an arrest—could create substantial investigative workload. He suggested inviting the county attorney and sheriff to a future work session to discuss countywide criminal justice capacity and prosecutorial resources.
The council thanked the chief and requested more data on youth‑perpetrated crimes and drug‑related incidents for health and wellness and community planning purposes; the chief agreed to include that breakdown in the next semiannual report.
