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Council pressures police on transparency after residents report shootings and arrests concerns
Summary
Council and community members pressed the police department for more detailed monthly statistics on shootings, arrests and outcomes; the city statistician defended the accuracy of the reports and offered to meet to refine presentation; council directed staff to hold a study session on public safety reporting.
Acting Police Chief Walnoha told the council staff had updated the March and April incident reports to include occupied and unoccupied residential burglaries, homicides, attempted homicides, shootings at inhabited vehicles or dwellings and firearm-discharge incidents. Council Member Spraggins urged additional detail, asking for breakdowns of arrests by felony and misdemeanor and monthly arrest outcomes, saying "I have asked for the last several weeks for arrest stats" and that community members report frequent shootings.
Pam Bush, who said she is the custodian of records and the person who compiles the statistics, defended the reports as "100% accurate" and said further breakdowns would require overtime to compile, offering to meet with Council Member Spraggins to refine the format. Multiple public commenters described a February shooting that left a bullet above a 4-year-old’s head; one speaker said the district attorney did not pick up the case. After extended discussion the council directed staff to schedule a study session to review reporting formats and community concerns.
