AGENDA CAPTION:
Title
Receive a public safety update from the Police Department concerning year 2024.
Body
Meeting date: March 4, 2025
Department: Police Department
Amount & Source of Funding
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Fiscal Note:
Prior Council Action: In February 2025, City Council conducted a budget visioning workshop in which the 2025 Strategic Plan was updated. Public Safety remained one of the strategic goals, including the need to engage the community and community public trust.
City Council Strategic Initiative: [Please select from the dropdown menu below]
Public Safety, Core Services & Fiscal Excellence
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Comprehensive Plan Element (s): [Please select the Plan element(s) and Goal # from dropdown menu below]
☐ Economic Development - Choose an item.
☐ Environment & Resource Protection - Choose an item.
☐ Land Use - Choose an item.
☐ Neighborhoods & Housing - Choose an item.
☐ Parks, Public Spaces & Facilities - Choose an item.
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☐ Core Services
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Master Plan: [Please select the corresponding Master Plan from the dropdown menu below (if applicable)]
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Background Information:
The primary purpose of the Public Safety Update is to reflect on the year 2024, while providing specific data associated with crime, mental health services, calls for service, accountability measures, and police initiatives to address safety in a growing community.
From a record high year in 2022, there was a 12% decrease in total offenses from 2022 to 2023. In 2024, the year ended with an additional 3% decrease in offenses. Overall, crime has trended down. However, increases in motor vehicle theft and sexual assault were notable. In 2024, San Marcos reported an average of approximately eight offenses a day. These crime numbers, and more, will be discussed by the Crime Analysis Unit.
Accountability remains a high priority for the Department, and Commander Tiffany Williams will explain the historical changes in the last four years to modernize Internal Affairs, how and why the Department created the Event Review Board, mandating Active Bystandership for Law Enforcement, and more.
Other staff members will discuss the Department’s efforts to increase mental health services in the community, as well as the Department’s efforts to certify eligible frontline officers as Mental Health Peace Officers by the end of calendar year 2025. Accreditation will also be discussed, in hopes that the community will understand why this is important (risk and liability reduction and improve protection of citizens and officer safety). Accreditation will also assess the Department’s responsiveness to 12 critical issues, including but not limited to: use of force; search, seizure and arrest; care, custody and restraint of prisoners; off-duty conduct; selection and hiring; and dealing with the mentally ill and developmentally disabled.
Council Committee, Board/Commission Action:
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Alternatives:
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Recommendation:
There will be no vote required following this presentation.