Why This Measure Matters

A rapid police response to the highest priority calls helps to ensure public safety and save lives. Tracking response times helps effectively allocate resources and identify opportunities for improved operational efficiency.

Examples of Call Types
Priority 1
Assault happening now, Robbery, Suicide

Priority 2
Shoplifting, Disorderly Conduct, Harassment

Priority 3
Assist Fire, Delayed report of Assault, Delayed report of Auto Theft

Priority 4
Area Check, Assist Other Agency, Field Interview

What’s the Story?

There are several factors that have an impact on response times including but not limited to staffing levels, type of incident, and traffic conditions.  Priority calls for service (in progress assaults, robberies, burglaries for example) will always be dispatched immediately to our officers, while non-priority calls (calls where there is no risk of physical harm and/or crimes that are not in progress) are routinely held in a “pending” state until an officer becomes available to respond. 

In 2023 the department completed a comprehensive analysis of our operations which suggested adding patrol officers to each shift to decrease response times and better serve our community.  Those additional officers are still being hired and trained.

Target

The City is tracking this metric over time to understand how it fluctuates.

Reporting frequency