The Alameda Police Department [1] (APD) has been serving Alameda since 1874. Today, it employs 70 sworn officers and 36 support services staff. Chief Nishant Joshi introduced the Alameda Police Department’s 2024 Annual Report [2] with some good news: Crime was reduced by 12% compared with 2023.
Some other highlights of 2024 include a new police station in Marina Village, which is now home to the Investigations Unit and Traffic Unit, and 35 new officers—two furry and 33 not so furry. K9 Primo and K9 Ace (and their handlers Officers Ortega and Fetzer), have already made a significant contribution to APD’s efforts, including the recovery of multiple firearms.
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2024 Goals
In 2024, APD set the following goals:
- Achieve a 10% reduction in crime citywide. APD achieved a 12% reduction over 2023.
- Ensure compliance with AB 953 regarding stop data collection. APD instituted additional reviews to ensure 100% compliance and accuracy.
- Review all applicable Body Worn Camera (BWC) recordings. APD developed new policies and procedures to ensure necessary footage was reviewed by command staff and any areas of additional direction or training were addressed.
- Improve customer service performance. APD improved its satisfaction rating on surveys, achieving an overall officer rating of 4.7 out of 5.0 for the year.
Technology advances
APD continues to advance its use of technology to improve its ability to respond to crime. Here are a few examples of new technologies APD adopted in 2024.
- Law Enforcement Field Training Application (LEFTA): Allows APD to track and analyze information related to police operations, including performance evaluations, training, equipment inventory, use of force evaluation, and pursuits.
- Peregrine Crime Analysis Platform: Allows officers to quickly access information from existing APD systems that track case data and can assist with building connections across cases.
- Uncrewed Aerial Systems: Supports real-time response to investigations and potentially dangerous situations with armed suspects.
- Permitium: Facilitates the department’s role in applications for concealed carry weapons permits.
Budget
The APD budget is approved by City Council for each fiscal year. The charts below summarize the APD budget for the last three fiscal years.
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[6]Shifts in crime patterns in 2024
- Destruction/Damage/Vandalism decreased by 26% compared to 2023.
- Burglary/Breaking and Entering decreased by 37% compared to 2023. F
- Fraud Offenses decreased by 40% compared to 2023.
- Drug/Narcotic Offenses increased by 36% compared to 2023.
[7]What’s up with traffic enforcement?
Traffic is a pet peeve here in our Island City. We’ve all heard the “good old days” stories about people getting tickets for driving 28 mph around town. That’s not true anymore, of course, but police are still working to try to improve traffic safety, despite what must feel like difficult odds. Here’s what went down in 2024, according to the APD report.
- 800 traffic collisions were reported to APD, up 12% from the 714 reported in 2023. This included 53 collisions involving bicycles and 49 collisions involving pedestrians. The most frequently identified reasons for collisions included improper turning, unsafe speed, and automobile right of way violations.
- 3,701 traffic stops in 2024, a 21% decrease from 2023. Of those stops, 3,031 resulted in a citation or warning being issued. The most frequently cited offenses included speeding, driving while using a handheld wireless device, and failure to stop at a stop sign.
Community outreach
Throughout 2024, APD hosted a variety of events and participated in numerous community gatherings. More than 700 kindergarteners took part in Safety Town, learning about helmet and bike safety. The Community Police Academy brought valuable insights to residents. National Night Out also is an annual favorite, along with holiday events such as Shop with a Cop and APD’s holiday tree giveaway. APD also distributed over 400 steering wheel locks to help combat auto theft, offered summer youth safety classes, and conducted numerous department tours.
The APD 2024 Annual Report has much more information and is available to read or download online [2].