HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 7a - Police Department 2025 Annual Report Item 7a
Department: Police
Cost Center: 8001
For Agenda of: 9/1/2026
Placement: Business
Estimated Time: 30 Minutes
FROM: Rick Scott, Police Chief
Prepared By: Aaron Schafer, Deputy Chief
SUBJECT: POLICE DEPARTMENT 2025 ANNUAL REPORT
RECOMMENDATION
Receive and file the Police Department 2025 Annual Report.
POLICY CONTEXT
The intent of this item is to provide the City Council with a general update on department
activities to include the 2025 Police Department Annual Report (Attachment A).
DISCUSSION
Background
The 2025 Police Department Annual Report (Attachment A) provides an overview of the
past operational year. This report covers key areas integral to the Police Department’s
operations and future planning. These areas include the organizational structure,
finances, community engagement, officer wellness, department statistics, technology,
recruitment and retention, the Community Action Team and Community Service Officer
program.
The report highlights key accomplishments, including a 16% decrease in Part 1 violent
crimes (forcible rape, robbery, aggravated assault) and a 24 % decrease in Part 1
Property Crime (burglary, larceny, motor vehicle theft, and arson). Overall, Part 1 crimes
decreased by 23% in 2025 compared to 2024. The Department has continued its crime
prevention efforts through objectives outlined in its five-year strategic plan, and over the
last 3 years, crime has decreased by 44% (2023-2025).
At the commencement of FY 2025-26, police staffing rose from 95.00 Full-Time
Employees (FTE) to 97.00 FTE. In 2025, the Department added 2.00 FTE Police Officers
after obtaining a Department of Justice Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS)
Grant. This increase aligns with the recommendation from the 2024 staffing study, but
the Department is still well short of current and forecasted needs for additional sworn and
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Item 7a
professional staff. Staffing will remain a vital element in supporting the Department's
commitment to enhance community safety and engagement.
The 2025 Police Department Annual Report highlights the exemplary level of service
provided by the department while outlining the various aspects, divisions, and individuals
that contribute to its continued success. This report not only shows the department's
accomplishments but also reflects its commitment to delivering the highest standards of
police services in our community.
The Police Department made significant strides in returning to a balanced, community -
oriented, and proactive approach to providing emergency services. Focusing on staffing,
proactive policing, and strengthening community relationships ensured a safe work
environment for employees and supported them amidst a constantly changing public
landscape. The department believes that proper staffing, smart policing that leverages
technology, and positive morale directly impact crime reduction and the feeling of safety
in the city.
Department staff worked diligently to ensure the department remained trusted, supported,
and healthy, both physically and emotionally. Continuing education and proactive
measures have helped reduce crime trends, and these efforts have persisted into the
beginning of 2026. Select strategies include directed patrols at problem locations,
specialized operations to apprehend opportunistic criminals, and community engagement
through various media to reduce victimization and increase awareness. The Police
Department remains dedicated to reducing crime and safeguarding the community while
upholding ethical policing through quality service in an ever-evolving legal landscape.
Previous Council or Advisory Body Action
On September 2, 2025, the City Council received and filed the 2024 Police Department's
Annual Report.
Public Engagement
This item is on the agenda for the September 1, 2026, City Council meeting and will follow
all required postings and notifications. The public may provide comments on this item at
or before the meeting.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The California Environmental Quality Act does not apply to the recommended action in
this report, because the action does not constitute a “Project” under CEQA Guidelines
Sec. 15378.
FISCAL IMPACT
Budgeted: Yes Budget Year: 2025-26
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Item 7a
Funding Identified: Yes
Fiscal Analysis:
Funding
Sources
Total Budget
Available
Current
Funding
Request
Remaining
Balance
Annual
Ongoing
Cost
General Fund $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
State
Federal
Fees
Other:
Total $ 0 $ 0 $ 0 $ 0
There is no fiscal impact associated with the Council receiving and filing this report. All
lines of effort discussed in the report are included in the Police Department’s annual
budget allocation as approved by the City Council.
ALTERNATIVES
The City Council could choose not to receive and file the Police Department Annual
Report as presented. Council could direct staff to make modifications to the report. The
Police Department believes that the Annual Report accurately reflects the crime statistics
for the 2025 calendar year and provides a comprehensive review of departmental
activities, providing transparency and accountability to the community.
ATTACHMENTS
A - 2025 Police Department Annual Report
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Page 228 of 249
A N N U A L
R E P O R T 20252025
S a n L u i s O b i s p o P o l i c e D e pa r t m e n t
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C h i e f ’s m e s s ag e
Chief of Police Rick Scott
Dear our SLO Community,
2025 proved to be an exceptional year for the safety and
security of our SLO community. Over the past year, we
experienced an overall 23% reduction in crime! This includes a
16% reduction in total violent crimes and a 24% reduction in
total property crimes. The department continues to prioritize
personal safety for all community members and visitors alike.
The department is approximately halfway through our 5-Year
Strategic Plan and the progress made so far on our shared
Goals and Objectives is already yielding positive results in the
community. Many objectives have been completed, but efforts
to increase belonging and the true feeling of safety and security
will continue long after the plan is complete.
A great example of this is the Goal related to Infrastructure and Technology to insure we
are investing in our people, equipment, and technology to deliver the next generation
services our community deserves. I am proud of all of our employees for prioritizing our
strategic plan and delivering on these amazing work efforts!
As we close out 2025 and look forward to an outstanding 2026, we want to sincerely
thank the women and men of the San Luis Obispo Police Department for their continued
dedication and passion for serving you. We also want to thank our amazing community
for the support and trust placed in your police department to achieve your vision for a
safer and more welcoming community, which we believe truly defines the SLO quality of
life.
A community partnership builton trust, focused on safety, andshared values to ensure the SLOquality of life.
To safeguard our community fromharm by reducing crime andensuring dignity, equity, and justicefor all we serve.
D E PA R T M E N T V I S I O NDEPARTMENT P U R P O S E
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Organizational Structure & Budget
Community Engagement
Sustainable SLO & Police
Department Statistics
Technology
Recruitment & Retention
Officer Wellness
Strategic Plan
Organizational Structure & Budget
Community Engagement
Sustainable SLO & Police
Department Statistics
Technology
Recruitment & Retention
Officer Wellness
Strategic Plan
ta b l e o f c o n t e n t s
4
5
9
10
17
18
19
20
4
5
9
10
17
18
19
20
3
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Chief of Police
Executive Assistant
Deputy Chief Operations Deputy Chief Administration
Public Affairs
Manager
Day/Night
Lieutenants
SNAP Patrol/Traffic
Sergeants
Patrol Officers
Community
Action Team
Downtown Bike
Team
Community
Service Officers
Traffic Officers
Admin
Lieutenant
Dispatch
Lieutenant
Sr. Business
Analyst
Records
Division Dispatch Admin.
Assistant
Detective
Bureau
Special Enforcement
Team
Property & Evidence
2025 Staffing:
97 Total Full Time Positions
63 Sworn
34 Professional Staff
Data Analyst Hiring
Manager
Detective
Sergeant
Staffing
$23,764,483
Non Staffing
$1,834,080
o r g a n i z at i o n a l s t r u c t u r e & B u d g e t
F Y 2 5 -2 6
B U D G E T D E P A R T M E N T P R O G R A M S
Administration
$2,781,586
Investigations
$4,973,125
Neighborhood Services
$327,043
$2 5 ,5 9 8 ,5 6 3
Patrol
$13,692,074
Support Services
$3,703,803
Traffic Safety
$1,020,933 4
Page 232 of 249
T h e C o m m u n i t y S a f e t y
A d v i s o r y C o u n c i l (C S A C ) i s
a c o l l a b o r a t i v e i n i t i a t i v e
w h i c h b r i n g s t o g e t h e r t h e
d e p a r t m e n t ’s c o m m a n d
s t a f f w i t h t h e l e a d e r s h i p o f
b o t h t h e P A C a n d P o l i c e
R o u n d t a b l e t o f a c i l i t a t e
c o l l e c t i v e i n i t i a t i v e s a n d
c r o s s -c o l l a b o r a t i o n t o b e s t
i n f o r m a n d a d v i s e t h e
d e p a r t m e n t o n m a t t e r s o f
p o l i c y , p o l i c i n g c o n c e p t s ,
a n d q u a l i t y o f s e r v i c e .
C S A C p r o v i d e s a g r e a t
s o u n d i n g b o a r d f o r t h e
C h i e f o f P o l i c e a n d
e l e v a t e s t h e v o i c e o f
c o m m u n i t y m e m b e r s
e n g a g e d i n b o t h t h e P A C
a n d R o u n d t a b l e a n d t h e i r
r e s p e c t i v e c o n s t i t u e n t s
f r o m a c r o s s t h e
c o m m u n i t y .
R O U N D T A B L E P A C
c o m m u n i t y e n g ag e m e n t
C O M M U N I T Y S A F E T Y A D V I S O R Y C O U N C I L
S L O P D
T h e R o u n d t a b l e i s a
c o m m u n i t y b a s e d
g r o u p o f v o l u n t e e r s
f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f
r e g u l a r d i r e c t
i n t e r a c t i o n a n d
e f f e c t i v e
c o m m u n i c a t i o n
b e t w e e n t h e S a n
L u i s O b i s p o
c o m m u n i t y a t l a r g e
a n d S L O P D . T h e
m i s s i o n o f t h e
R o u n d t a b l e i s t o a c t
a s a r e s o u r c e f o r t h e
C h i e f o f P o l i c e i n t h e
f o r m a t i o n o f
s t r a t e g i e s ,
d e v e l o p m e n t o f
p o l i c i n g c o n c e p t s ,
a n d i n c r e a s i n g p u b l i c
a w a r e n e s s r e g a r d i n g
p o l i c i n g i s s u e s .
T h e S a n L u i s O b i s p o
P o l i c e A d v i s o r y
C o m m i t t e e (P A C )
s e r v e s a s a
c o m m u n i t y -b a s e d
g r o u p o f a d v o c a t e s
f o r t h e p u r p o s e o f
d i r e c t i n t e r a c t i o n a n d
e f f e c t i v e
c o m m u n i c a t i o n
b e t w e e n t h e S a n L u i s
O b i s p o s p e c i a l
i n t e r e s t c o m m u n i t y
a n d S L O P D . T h e
m i s s i o n o f t h e P A C i s
t o a d v i s e t h e S a n L u i s
O b i s p o P o l i c e
D e p a r t m e n t i n t h e
f o r m a t i o n o f
s t r a t e g i e s ,
d e v e l o p m e n t o f
p o l i c i n g c o n c e p t s ,
a n d c o m m u n i t y
o u t r e a c h r e g a r d i n g
p o l i c i n g a n d
c o m m u n i t y s a f e t y
a n d u n i q u e n e e d s
a n d i n t e r e s t s o f
m a r g i n a l i z e d o r
u n d e r r e p r e s e n t e d
m e m b e r s o f o u r
c o m m u n i t y . 5
Page 233 of 249
c o m m u n i t y e n g ag e m e n t
C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S & T R A I N I N G
T h e d e p a r t m e n t a t t e n d e d o v e r 3 0 c o m m u n i t y e v e n t s i n 2 0 2 5 .
A c h i e v e m e n t H o u s e S t a t i o n T o u r
S L O A s s e s s o r ’s O f f i c e S a f e t y
P r e s e n t a t i o n
C h i l d r e n ’s D a y i n t h e P l a z a
D a y C a r e V i s i t
G r i z z l y C a r e e r F a i r
D i a d e l N i n o
8 0 5 G a m e s
L a w E n f o r c e m e n t N i g h t a t F a r m e r s ’
M a r k e t
U n D o c u S u p p o r t E v e n t
J e w i s h H e r i t a g e D a y
P r i d e i n t h e P l a z a
M o n d a y M e e t U p s
H i s t o r y R e v i s i t e d F a i r
S u p e r H e r o e s D a y
N a t i o n a l N i g h t O u t
G i r l S c o u t T o u r
S h e r i f f ’s D a y a t t h e R a n c h
C o f f e e w i t h a C o p
C h u m a s h V i l l a g e S a f e t y T a l k
F a r m e r s ’ M a r k e t
C o p s N K i d s
D i a d e L o s M u e r t o s
T r a n s P r i d e i n t h e P a r k
C u b S c o u t s B i k e S a f e t y P r e s e n t a t i o n
6
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c o m m u n i t y e n g ag e m e n t
T H E C O M M U N I T Y A C T I O N T E A M
Identifies problems and crime trends that
negatively impact the quality of life for
residents, business owners and visitors to the
City of San Luis Obispo.
An officer and a Community Service Officer are
assigned to work with a social case worker and
a Licensed Psychiatric Technician to connect
people with services to address housing,
addiction, mental health and family
reunification.
CAT works collaboratively with various
organizations to address concerns and needs
including other City departments, social service
agencies, private businesses and non-profits.
2025 CAT Statistics
Treatment Referrals:
Family Reunifications:
157
8
Housing Referrals:85
7
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Total Citations Issued:
Total Arrests:189
444
c o m m u n i t y e n g ag e m e n t
The department has a total of six
Community Service Officers. CSOs are
non-sworn positions whose duties
include the following:
Assist with custody and release of
property
Provide traffic control when needed
Provide security and other assistance
at crime scenes
Issue citations for non-moving traffic
violations & enforce other violations
of the City’s Municipal Code
Respond to non-emergency calls for
service
C O M M U N I T Y S E R V I C E O F F I C E R S
2025 CSO Statistics
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s u s ta i n a b l e s lo & P o l i c e
For the City of San Luis Obispo, Sustainable SLO is a
commitment to take action today to improve our
community for tomorrow. It reflects a collective effort
to reduce pollution, clean up our air, protect natural
resources and open space, and make San Luis Obispo
more resilient to extreme heat, wildfires and flooding.
The City’s goal is to reduce carbon pollution by 10% each year, which is our part in
the global effort to beat the climate crisis and protect our community today and for
generations to come. With the City’s desire to implement the use of electric
vehicles, the police department’s fleet now includes the following:
Electric bicycles used by the
Downtown Bike Team
Electric motorcycle used
by the Traffic Team
Electric SUV used by Admin staff
Electric Patrol vehicle 9Page 237 of 249
10
d e pa r t m e n t s tat i s t i c sdepartment s tat i s t i c s
Page 238 of 249
2 0 2 5 at -a -g l a n c e
PA R T 1 C R I M E S
Homicide
Rape
Robbery
Aggravated Assault
2024 2025 % change
Commerical Burg
Residential Burg
Theft from Vehicle
Stolen Vehicle
General Theft
0
30
41
139
73
90
207
77
911
0
32
24
120
0%
7%
-41%
-14%
64
49
161
74
686
-12%
-46%
-22%
-4%
-25%
11
5-year Comparison
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Average
Violent Crime 210 176225266245
Property Crime 1358 1034184417451271
Total Part 1 Crime 1568 1210206920111516 -12%
-12%
-5%
Total Part 1 Crime 1568 1210 -23%
Property Crime
Violent Crime
Total Violent Crime 210 176 -16%
Total Property Crime 1358 1034 -24%
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2 0 2 5 at -a -g l a n c e
Vehicle Collision Fatalities
Pedestrian Collisions
Ped. Collision Fatalities
Bicycle Collisions
Bicycle Collision Fatalities
Traffic Citations
Traffic Warnings
-50%
15%
-50%
9%
-100%
10%
-9%
2
34
2
54
1
5508
4604
1
39
1
59
0
6061
4177
In FY 2024-25, the California Office of Traffic Safety grant funded the
following traffic enforcement operations:
DUI Checkpoints
DUI Saturation Patrols
Traffic Enforcement
Distracted Driving
Traffic Safety Education
Pedestrian & Bike Enforcement
3
26
16
3
3
2
2024 2025 % change
12
T R A F F I C S TAT I S T I C S
2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
5-year Comparison
Total Traffic Collisions 566 528399435430
Average
8%
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2 0 2 5 at -a -g l a n c e
N O I S E PA R T Y C A L L S F O R S E R V I C E
Year# of callsIn 2025, the department received 1,510 calls related to
noise (party calls).
Noise Citations issued
Disturbment Advisory Cards (DACs) issued
260
328
13
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2 0 2 5 at -a -g l a n c e
Calls for service by type
Calls for service & staffing by year
14Page 242 of 249
15
R e c o r d s
&
d i s patc h
R e c o r d s
&
d i s patc h
The Records and Dispatch divisions are involved with Department of
Justice audits, act as the custodian of criminal records and ensure
compliance with State and Federal regulations.
Staff are responsible for receiving, processing and dispatching
emergency and non-emergency calls for service, public outreach,
processing police reports and citations, tracking and reporting crime
statistics and maintaining confidential information.
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2024 2025
2 0 2 5 at -a -g l a n c e
All Calls Received by Dispatch
Police Calls for Service
Total Reports Processed by Records
Total Citations Processed by Records
Public Records Requests Processed
Property & Evidence Items Booked
Discovery Orders Processed
Cases Assigned to Detectives
94,806
35,321
6,847
5,546
57
7,839
772
203
89,043
34,911
5,870
6,973
85
7,731
884
183
G E N E R A L D E PA R T M E N T S TAT S
Suspected Child Abuse
Reports (SCARS)
Processed 299
Cyber Tips Processed
related to Internet
Crimes Against Children
66
Digital forensics analysis
conducted (cell phones,
computers, etc.) 153
16
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T E C H N O LO G Y
Ve r s a t e r m C o m m u n i t y C o n n e c t
CommunityConnect is software is designed to help public safety agencies improve
public relationships and gain feedback directly from those we serve.
Text messages are sent to callers through mobile-friendly surveys. The results
enable the department to keep a pulse on the quality of customer service we
provide to the community.
C u r r e n t D e p a r t m e n t R a t i n g s
How would you rate
dispatch?
How satisfied are you
with the department?
How would you rate
the officer you
interacted with?
93%92%89%
4.67 out of 5
From 3,114 responses
4.58 out of 5
From 5,709 responses
4.44 out of 5
From 5,819 responses
Total messages sent in 2025 42,323 Survey completion rate in 2025 19.2%
17
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R e c r u i t m e n t & R e t e n t i o n
In the beginning of calendar year 2025, the department’s total amount of
authorized positions was 97. This included 63 sworn officers and 34 professional
staff. Later in the year, after FY 2025-26 started in July, Council approved the
addition of two sworn police officer positions that are partially funded by a
Department of Justice COPS Hiring Grant.
Staffing Numbers
Promotions
The department made several promotions in 2025, including the promotion of
three officers to sergeant and one sergeant to lieutenant. The department invests
in leadership development and is proud to recognize and promote individuals
into these roles.
Recruitment
In 2025 the department recruited and hired positions including dispatch, police
officer, and administrative staff. Staff is continuing to evaluate recruitment
strategies to ensure we use current and effective methods to reach prospective
candidates. Check out our deparment recruitement page at:
18
joinslopd.org
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O F F I C E R W E L L N E S S
The department’s Peer Support Team provides a way
for employees and their family members to
confidentially talk about personal and professional
problems with specially trained colleagues who
understand and want to help. The peer support team is
dedicated to creating a culture of wellness by
establishing wellness-related training that engages new
officers early and also reaches senior employees at
important points in their careers.
The City contracts with TCTI to provide public safety
personnel the opportunity to seek counseling services
at no cost to the employee. The objective is to support
and invest in the mental health and well-being of
Police and Fire employees.
In 2025, the department implemented an officer
wellness policy requiring annual wellness check-ins for
all personnel, both sworn and civilian. These annual
evaluations are intended to support employees' mental
health and promote ongoing psychological and physical
well-being.
SLOPD Peer Support
The Counseling Team International
19Page 247 of 249
s t r at e g i c p l a n
As we close out the second year of the department ’s 5-Year Strategic Plan in 2025, staff
continued to advance the objectives outlined in the plan throughout 2025. The chart
below highlights significant progress made and reflects the department ’s continued
commitment to achieving the goals and objectives of the strategic plan.
5-Year Strategic Plan Goals
% Complete
Average 76%
20Page 248 of 249
c o n n e c t w i t h u s
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