Title
Public Safety Update
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to a committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive a public safety update.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive a public safety update.
Staff Contact:
Shelby Parker, Police Chief, Olympia Police Department. 360.753.8147
Presenter(s):
Shelby Parker, Police Chief
Background and Analysis:
Police Chief Shelby Parker will provide an update on Q1 & Q2 2026 crime data, staffing levels, hiring and recruitment efforts, and the Department’s progress implementing recommendations from the Police Auditor’s 2025 year-end report.
The Olympia Police Department (OPD) regularly uses data to monitor crime trends, evaluate service demands, and guide deployment and resource decisions in the community. During the first half of 2026, the Department responded to 27,925 calls for service requiring an officer, completed 3,398 reports, and conducted 3,852 Crisis Response Unit (CRU) contacts. These figures demonstrate the continued importance of both traditional police services and alternative responses in meeting community needs.
Crime, arrest data, and service-delivery data continue to inform Department strategies and help ensure resources are directed where they can have the greatest impact.
The Department’s authorized staffing includes approximately 129 full-time positions: 88 commissioned and 41 non-commissioned. The Department also benefits from the contributions of community volunteers, including Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS), Police Explorers, and Police Chaplains.
Staffing trends are moving in a positive direction. Although retirements and other vacancies have created opportunities for promotion and advancement within the organization, they have also resulted in a number of open positions. As of the end of June 2026, the Department had nine commissioned vacancies.
At the same time, the Department is seeing encouraging progress in recruitment and hiring. This year, the Departmen...
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