TO: Mayor and City Council
THROUGH: Keith Stahley, City Manager
FROM: Trevor Womack, Chief of Police
SUBJECT:
title
Salem Police Department Year-end Program Updates
Ward(s): All Wards
Councilor(s): All Councilors
Neighborhood(s): All Neighborhoods
Result Area(s): Good Governance; Safe Community; Welcoming and Livable Community
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SUMMARY:
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The report outlines the Salem Police Department programs and initiatives which dovetail Council Priorities, such as Building Great Neighborhoods, Increasing Equitable Delivery of City Services, Creating Community Resilience, and Addressing Homelessness, while building community trust through equity, accountability, and transparency measures. The informational report also outlines the staffing challenges the department faces in the areas of recruitment, hiring, and retention.
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ISSUE:
Informational update on the following department programs: Homeless Services Team, Body-worn Camera Program, police legitimacy, and hiring and retention.
RECOMMENDATION:
recommendation
Information Only
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FACTS AND FINDINGS:
Homeless Services Team
The Salem Police Department’s two-officer team started in June of this year. The officers work with the City of Salem Outreach & Services team as part of a comprehensive response to address the impacts of homelessness in the city limits.
Intelligence-led Policing
Intelligence, Communication & Planning is a new effort to decrease crime in small, geographic areas of the city which are identified as at greater risk for crime based on the analysis of crime data and human intelligence. Results from focused presence and the prioritization of resources in the areas are tracked and evaluated for effectiveness and positive impacts to the neighborhood and or business district.
Police Legitimacy
Procedural justice is the core of several initiatives to establish police legitimacy and trust with the community. The department’s trust-building plan <https://www.cityofsalem.net/community/safety/police/building-trust-with-the-community/principled-policing-in-action> is well underway with the concepts of procedural justice at its core. Other important components include the Advisory Council to the Chief, a project to review and update all departmental directives and policies, as well increased efforts to bring accountability and transparency together.
Hiring & Retention
Officer hiring and retention challenges persist for the department, although they are not unique to our city. A survey <https://www.policeforum.org/workforcemarch2022> released by the Police Executive Research Forum shows many police agencies throughout the country are experiencing similar difficulties, thus making the process to hire qualified candidates highly competitive. We continue to expand our strategies to recruit, hire, and retain personnel. This report reviews the staffing difficulties, as well as the department’s past, near-term and long-term approaches to hiring and retention.
BACKGROUND:
See attached: Salem Police Department Year-end Program Updates for a more in-depth discussion of the Department’s programs, initiatives, and staffing challenges over the past year.
Trevor Womack
Chief of Police
Attachments:
1. Salem Police Department Year-end Program Updates