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Home My WebLink AboutCSS 2025-06-09 Item 1B - Report - 2024 Annual Report: Police Department. • • 4 . • .n• Buildin positive, strong r- • .-1.441.- ".• •-• - • - - 00 F- As an involved part of the Tukwila community, our mission is to provide public safety services that are professional, compassionate and transparent. As individuals and teams, we are committed to earning the public's trust with skills, professionalism and collaboration. CHIEF'S MESSAGE The Honorable Mayor Thomas McLeod, Tukwila City Council, and Tukwila Community, As we reflect on 2024, we are reminded of the challenges, growth, and progress that have shaped the Tukwila Police Department's commitment to maintaining safety, transparency, and community trust. This year, we have seen both successes and areas in need of continued attention. This report summarizes key events, initiatives, and outcomes over the past year, demonstrating the Department's ongoing dedication to the Tukwila community with "Caring, Professional, Responsive" service. In 2024, we established its five -year strategic plan. In the plan, we refocused our vision, mission and core values to be current with the diverse needs of the Tukwila Community, and to be more reflective of the outstanding staff working for the Police Department. We reorganized our two proactive teams, dissolving our Community Policing Team and Anti -Crime Team, and formed the new Special Emphasis Unit. This new unit focusses on investigating crimes related to drugs, homelessness, and quality of life issues that impact our community. The school resource officers were reinstated and are serving the Tukwila youth again. At the end of 2024, we were fully -staff. One of the Department's central goals for 2024 was to strengthen relationships with the community. We recognize that public trust is vital, and through various initiatives, we aimed to increase transparency, open dialogue, and collaboration. We participated in Coffee With A Cop, Night Out Against Crime, Touch A Truck, etc. These events have allowed us to listen to residents' concerns, offer updates on crime trends, and build stronger relationships with the people we serve. We continued our focus on youth engagement with our school resource officer program, which offers our Tukwila youth an opportunity to engage with officers in a safe environment. These initiatives are essential in fostering positive relationships with our youth and preventing future involvement in crime. Our department has prioritized responding to calls involving individuals experiencing mental health crises. In partnership with local mental health professionals, we have continued to evolve our co -responder program, which provides trained clinicians to provide immediate support and resources to individuals in need. Another focus for 2024 was to continue to enhance transparency and accountability. We are committed to ensuring that our officers uphold the highest standards of conduct. While we saw a decrease in use of force incidents compared to previous years, we continue to evaluate and refine our policies to ensure de-escalation techniques are always prioritized. All incidents involving use of force are thoroughly reviewed by an internal committee, which includes volunteer community members. Additionally, community members also participated in the final Chief's interviews for selecting the future generation of law enforcement to serve the community. They also helped develop the five-year strategic plan for the Department. The safety and well-being of our police staff remain a priority. We have implemented several initiatives to support their mental health and professional development. In training and professional development, our staff participated in over 10,000 hours of training this year, including specialized courses in de-escalation, bias reduction, mental health crisis response, and reality -based training. Continuing education remains critical as we work to ensure that all personnel are equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to serve our community effectively. The Department implemented new software tools to improve our predictive policing strategies. By analyzing crime patterns, we have been able to allocate resources more effectively and proactively address potential crime hotspots. While we have made significant strides in several areas, we recognize that there are still challenges to address moving forward. Recruitment remains an ongoing priority. Like many agencies across the country, we have faced difficulties in attracting and retaining officers. Although we head into 2025 fully staffed, we have continued to refine our recruitment strategies, focusing on hiring officers who share our values and reflect the diverse community we serve. A different challenge is the issue of homelessness. It continues to be a significant concern. While law enforcement is not the solution to homelessness, our department has worked closely with social service agencies and non-profit organizations to assist individuals in crisis, providing access to resources, including emergency housing and mental health care. As we look to the year ahead, we remain committed to building on the progress we've made and addressing the challenges that lie ahead. Our focus will include expanding community outreach efforts to better serve and connect with residents, continuing to enhance officer training, particularly in the areas of mental health crisis intervention and cultural competency, and building stronger collaborations with local government agencies and community partners to address homelessness and other social challenges. I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every member of the Tukwila Police Department for their dedication and hard work in 2024. Together, we are making a meaningful difference in the safety and well-being of our community. We also want to extend our deepest gratitude to the City Council and the residents of Tukwila for your continued support and trust. We look forward to another year of progress, partnership, and service. The Patrol Division is the department's largest division, comprised of a commander, four sergeants, 36 officers including one K-9 officer and his partner Raider, two mental health IC: - professional co -responders and one domestic violence advocate. The sergeants and patrol officers work on four different shifts. These teams are the first responders who provide service and IL EEprotection for the Tukwila community 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The two mental health professional co -responders are scheduled during the busier times of the day throughout the week to help officers explore viable solutions for the mental health crisis our region is experiencing, while the domestic violence advocate works to guide and empower victims of domestic violence toward safety and recovery. In 2024, the Patrol Division responded to 28,734 calls for service and took 7,509 case reports. The online reporting allows for members of the public to report minor crimes with low or zero solvability • which helps them document the incident without having to ° utilize 911 or take an officer out of circulation. This program improves efficiency and accounts for an additional 998 case reports for 2024. With diligent work on behalf of the Department's recruiting program and city leader support, the Patrol Division ended the year fully -staffed, which dramatically improved the ability to respond to calls and serve the community. An exciting addition to the Patrol Division was the new Patrol K-9 team, Officer Josh Vivet and K-9 Raider. Raider is a young German Shepard who has shown a great aptitude for tracking and suspect apprehension. The team provides safety for the officers, a deterrent to offenders looking to escape accountability, and an increased opportunity to catch fleeing suspects. The Patrol Division has also been looking to leverage 'Qg technology to help them track and respond to crimes in progress. By installing several camera systems at strategic places in the City, including the shopping and business district, the Division look to make Tukwila a safer place to live, shop, and work, and an uncomfortable place to commit crime. Officers have already used the technology to identify stolen cars that drive into Tukwila, oftentimes with the intent to commit further crimes here and in the region. By recovering these cars and otherwise flooding the area where they are seen with police presence, the Patrol Division hope to continue to deter the pi criminal element from acts of crime and violence in the City. POLICE 4:40,11 CO • • The Support Operations Division continued to provide a high level of service to comrfibnity members, visitors, court staff and the rest of the Tukwila Police Department staff. Through the team's diligence and caring, family members were connected, property returned to owners, stolen items properly accounted for, and problems solved. The Records Unit is often the first point of contact for those seeking non -emergency assistance from the Police Department. In addition to greeting visitors coming into the Police Department lobby, answering the phones, providing offic-, important inforn, and responding to many emails, the Records Unit processed 7,509 in -person 1,010 online police reports, reviewed 17,711 2010 and 2011 case files and destroyed the files past their retention date, and provided statistical data for the National Incident -Based Reporting System (NIBRS). The unit administered 20 concealed pistol licenses and three dealer's licenses. An important responsibility el the Support Operations Division is responding to records requests for criminal justice agencies, attorneys, media and community members. A dedicated records specialist manages the public records requests and make sure the requests are answered as efficiently as possible. In 2024, 4,692 requests were processed: 165 were finished up from 2023 and 4,527 new requests were received. Staff devoted more than 3,026 hours to processing these requests. Although each request is different, on average, requests were fulfilled within six days. As part of the Support Operations team, the records disposition research specialist focus in 2024 involved updating criminal history records with correct booking and disposition information; and, completing all steps required of orders to seal, vacate, destroy, and delete. All projects, associated tasks and statistics accomplished in 2024 by the records disposition research specialist are outlined below*: Update Criminal His- tory Records Upload Project — Tukwila Police De- partment's Record Management System - Spillman Laserfiche Project Court Order Project Process Disposition Reports SCORE Jail KCSO TPD Research in the Criminal History Record: Backlog Documents and Destruction Case Files Incorrect Arrest Data & Miss- ing Dispositions Create / Submit Correction Notices to Washington State Patrol New Arrests Backlog Documents L Submit Dispositions to Washington State Patrol Backlog Documents Disposition found after Re- Send Request to TMC to Sub - search mit Disposition Backlog Court Dispositions Current Court Dispositions rBooking Photos Perform Quality Control Orders to Seal, Vacate Mis- demeanor, Vacate Felony, Delete, and Destroy 249 3 3 284 292 3 308 34 mill 140 965 1 6 342 336 279 291 137 1043 150 4 1 ----- 21 5 TMC Prosecutor 48 56 79 40 SCORE Jail and KC -EI_1M- Case Files 161 156 102 Complete Orders 155 12 26 226 223 703 419 18 SUPPORT OPERATIONS DIVISION EVIDENCE The Evidence Unit ensured the proper security and chain of custody for property and evidence items taken in by the Tukwila Police Department. In 2024, 3,021 items of evidence and property were processed into the department, 2,984 items were destroyed, donated, converted, auctioned or released to the owner. 1 0��0 •cg ( JO. P. F.. 0+ c, CO 2024 DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY i 4 i S '-� i P c, Q 0J 0+0 e- -.•• fie- mac, �y �', 4.. v- Qk• c. OQ O� O ,,,o 0" gyp'• Q"PP QP 0 Q-`` e-e- G.>' �� 0. 0 a P� 0� ��Q- F4, 0S i F. P 4. S `' v • �QO Poi 4.$ JQa " QPa 0 S .s O C •P O� 0c.. i*x.0 QQ. r0 5� 0� After the recovery of a U-Haul full of stolen merchandise, the company decided to donate the items to the Police Department. The Evidence Team was able to donate clothing and personal hygiene items to the Tukwila Municipal Courts resources room, making some brand-new items available to the community. The team participated in the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) by entering casings into the system. These casings were recovered at crime scenes or entered after test firing a firearm. The 118 Tukwila casings were matched with casings from other crimes from locations. Linking cases through NIBIN work gives officers one more way to solve cases. Those entries provided 78 NIBIN leads to other agencies throughout the region. The Evidence Team attended a week-long crime scene training, learning more about photography and processing techniques. These new skills have greatly benefited the agency when responding to crime scenes and process evidence and property. The Major Crimes Unit (MCU) is responsible for the investigation of felony crimes that occur within the City, including homicide, sexual assault, robbery, assault, theft, fraud, forgery, domestic violence, and crimes against children and the elderly. The unit is also responsible for investigating missing persons and monitoring registered sex offenders living in the City. The MCU detectives are on call 24 hours a day, and respond to callouts for in -progress incidents and complex crime scenes. In addition to their duties, detectives also serve as members of various multi -agency specialty teams in the region including the Valley Civil Disturbance Unit (VCDU), Valley Special Weapons and Tactics (VSWAT), Valley Hostage Negotiations Team (VHNT), and Valley Independent Investigative Team (VIIT). Since 2020 the unit has not been fully -staffed, however, with the newly hired personnel, additional detectives have been added to the unit, bringing staffing levels to almost fully -staffed for the first time in years. The increase in staffing levels not only allows for investigation of more cases each year, it also allows detectives to attend additional training to further enhance their investigative skills. Heading into 2025, the Major Crimes Unit is more capable and better equipped to respond to investigative needs. N PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS Division The Professional Standards Unit (PSU) consists of a commander, sergeant, training officer, recruiter/public information officer and an administrative assistant. The PSU is tasked with purchasing equipment, internal investigations, and conducting initial training to prepare new officers of the department for field training. The training officer and training sergeant work together to coordinate training, make travel arrangements, purchase equipment, and make sure the department maintains the required number of hours of training. In 2024, all members of the Tukwila Police Department achieved 24 hours of in-service training required by Washington State law. The instructors/trainers maintained their certifications, bringing the most up to date information and tactics for the Tukwila Police Department. The PSU continued to assess and provide updated policies to the team that is consistent with federal, state, and local laws, as well as focus on the department's recruiting efforts throughout the year. The ability to increase staffing led to numerous officers being selected for specialty positions that ave been unfilled for an extended amount of time due to staffing shortages. The increase in personnel meant numerous officers coming through the PSU for training prior to attending the Basic Law Enforcement Academy and/or entering the field training program. Nine entry level officers were trained in PSU pre and post academy prior to entering the field training program. Three lateral officers were hired and trained in PSU prior to beginning field training. There were an additional five entry level officers that were hired nd spent time in PSU prior to attending the academy. These five student officers graduated from the academy in early 2025. The PSU division worked throughout the year to maintain accreditation through the Washington Association of Sheriffs & Police Chiefs (WASPC). In 2024, PSU worked tirelessly on all accreditation standards being proofed for reaccreditation in the spring of 2025. Reaccreditation ensures that the Tukwila Police Department continues to meet the highest standards and remains in line with state and national policies and laws. PSU collaborated with the Puget Sound Emergency Radio Network (PSERN) in testing the regional preventative maintenance program, allowing departments to stay in compliance with our digital radio warranties. In 2024, updates of the digital radios were provided through PSERN. Developing a comprehensive reality -based training program continued to be a goal for the training cadre. The cadre continued to evaluate and develop ways to implement this type of training in the Tukwila Police Department's yearly training schedule. Reality -based training was implemented in Patrol Tactics Training as well as Defensive Tactics Training. In 2024, the Special Operations Division underwent a significant overhaul to improve the City's quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors. Early in the year, the Department disbanded its Community Police Team and the Anti -Crime Unit. In their place, a new Special Emphasis Unit was created and gradually staffed with detectives. The Special Emphasis Unit's mission focuses on conducting criminal investigations beyond the scope of what patrol officers do and fostering community engagement to curb crime and reduce recidivism rates. The community engagement coordinator was also assigned to the unit and helped partner with other City departments to work on problem areas. The Special Emphasis Unit was strategically designed to handle a variety of crimes and outreach services, including narcotics investigations, human trafficking, fugitive apprehension, vehicle theft, and assisting the city's unhoused population. While larger departments typically assign these tasks to multiple units, due to limited personnel, two units were consolidated into one, creating a single, more impactful unit. Establishing the Special Emphasis Unit required extensive training for the selected detectives. Throughout the year, team members attended weeks of specialized training to develop skills in in-depth investigations and high - risk specialties, such as undercover operations. Notably, half of the Special Emphasis Unit comprises of SWAT personnel with extensive tactical operation experience, enhancing their ability to target dangerous offenders. The effectiveness of the Special Emphasis Unit became evident just months after its formation. During the summer of 2024, the department received numerous reports of drug activity, overdoses, and stolen property associated with a residence in a residential neighborhood. The problem residence also located next to a school, and was the site of multiple calls that involved firearms. In response, the detectives conducted a two -month undercover operation and successfully executed a high -risk search warrant in coordination with a regional SWAT team. The search uncovered stolen property, narcotics, and firearms. The detectives also coordinated with the City of Tukwila Code Enforcement to condemn the property. This brief case summary highlights why the Special Emphasis Unit was created and demonstrates its critical role in pursuing a safer City of Tukwila for all. In the second quarter of 2024, the Department formally initiated efforts to reestablish staffing for the Traffic Unit. Due to previous staffing shortages in other units and a high caseload, members of the Traffic Unit had been temporarily reassigned to the Major Crimes Unit. To address this, the Department first transitioned one traffic officer back to part-time duties in the unit and later to full-time while also assigning a unit sergeant. Additionally, a police support officer was assigned to assist with non-moving traffic enforcement, focusing primarily on vehicle impounds and parking violations. Despite having only two traffic officers during the second half of 2024, the Traffic Unit remained effective. Their primary focus was on addressing traffic violations in the Allen Town neighborhood. When not engaged in other assignments, the Unit issued over 100 traffic citations per month. The officers also managed the speed camera tickets, typically processing several hundreds monthly. Looking ahead, the department plans to add two more traffic officers to the unit in 2025. After several years without school resource officers, the Tukwila School District and the Tukwila Police Department signed an agreement to reinstate them. In September 2024, two school resource officers returned to Foster High School and Showalter Middle School on a full-time basis. These officers are the only commissioned staff working 8-hour days, ensuring their presence on every regular school day. A significant change to the SRO role was the introduction of mandatory training, as required by the Washington Administrative Code. Each SRO completed a six-month college -style course designed to prepare officers for their responsibilities in a school environment. Additionally, under the terms of the agreement between the Tukwila Police Department and the Tukwila School District, the officers must now submit monthly reports detailing their activities. While these changes have introduced additional time commitments, they have also fostered greater transparency and improved understanding of the SROs' role within community schools. W EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR Detective Chris Thomas Alison Fisk MHP Co -Responder DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL 30 Years Of Service Police Chief Eric Dreyer DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL For His Service With K9 Apollo Officer Jamie Sturgill 20 Years Of Service Officer Josh Vivet LIFE SAVING MEDALS Officer Elias Hiatt Officer Dustin Johnson IMP' EMPLOYEES OF THE QUARTER ct #. *` • ® 10*1 1so r i I Victor Masters Josh Vivet Stephanie Myers Jim Thompson Justin Wilson Erik Kunsmann Maria Garcia Officer Officer PDR Records Specialist Officer Officer Detective Officer DISTINGUISHED SERVICE MEDAL 20 Years Of Service Officer Mike Richardson CERTIFICATE OF COMMENDATION Officer Ryan McAdory 2021!1, PCD .%1 15-MT 4.: t<rSI�IK Expenditures Police Operations Jail Dispatch King County Animal Control Services Total Expenditures Revenue Category Contracted Services Grants Response Generated Total Revenues Budget Category Police Operations Jail Dispatch King County Animal Control Services Total Budget (Post Amendment) frmi POLICE DEPARTMENT EXPENDITURES 2024 Expenses 21,474,464 16_2023 Expenses AIL 2022 Expenses $ 18,597,042 $ 16,453,228 880,420 1 996,081 1Mr1,104,288 1,596,251 $ 1,430,699 $ 1,202,737 164,501 .M156,19f 108,2C $ 24,115,636 2024 Revenue S 373,879 $ 2 $ 86,372 $ 669,396 21,180,021 ONLY INCLUDES GENERAL FUND 406,658 $ $ 37,4 $ 18,868,518 2022 Revenue 429,300 64,866 622,336 $ 628,921 POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET 2024 Budget ■, 2023 Budget "Mg2022 Budgdi 1,52P1 . 20,214,598 A 1,055,452 $ 1,005,192 II$ 1,087,076 $ 1,428,971 11 125,142 $ 119,182 I. 144,700 24,212,875 22,767,943 19,813,041 01 2024 2023 2022 1R11%1 ' , \ • ". - Population Calls For Service 31,284 33,352 33,078 Crimes Against Persons Murder 3 2 4 Rape Robbery 75 97 90 Aggravated Assault TOTAL CRIMES AGAINST PERSONS 193 187 169 •"*,N; Crimes Against Property Arson 7 2 4 Burglary 181 := Larceny 2504 619 2736 921 3184 Auto Thefts TOTAL CRIMES AGAINST PROPERTY 3311 3964 Mr7-____A., -41111k 7741 TM=PIFM41111L 4,:at4t1.. 4 2024 2023 2022 Population Budget $24,115,636 $21,180,021 $18,868,518 Police Staff: Commissioned 77 77 77 Non -Commissioned ---: I It_ Calls For Service 31,284 M 33,078 ,-„,- Traffic Citations/Infractions Issued Reported Vehicle Accidents: 737 Injury 169 Fatal 0 Non -Injury (not including hit-and-run) 438 Injury hit-and-run TOTALS 17 141111111111111M1 Tukwila Police D:partment Vision: All Tukwila neighborh ods and communities feel protected and respected in their times of need. 03 .n this world e ve e a hear s IN A in i s what is right, rr� c��t..k . g Give me the eyes ears to see andher: • i :5 Your sight. rom thins unseen, \ .' ` ` ,,,,-,4,=,-4-t-.,,--:,,r_ '4;17 ace each test, Being accountable to the c rnunity. 1