Chief's Chat #16: How We're Adding More Officers and Prioritizing Calls

In this edition of the Cape CopCast "Chief's Chat," Chief Sizemore breaks down the science behind prioritizing police response and staffing in this transparent, informative discussion about department operations.Using a simple visual metaphor of "tennis balls in buckets," the Chief explains how the department allocates officers across the city's four geographical quadrants. Each quadrant (or bucket) contains four zones, and each zone has its own officers (tennis balls). When priority one emergencies occur—active crimes, injury crashes, or immediate threats to safety—these officers must respond immediately, leaving non-emergency calls to wait longer. It's not that your non-emergency call isn't important; it's that someone else's life may literally depend on that immediate response.The good news? The department's "Project 35" has mapped out staffing needs for the next decade with unanimous support from city leadership. This science-based approach to scaling police services has received backing from city management, finance teams, and elected officials, ensuring that as Cape Coral grows, police staffing will grow proportionally. The episode concludes with the announcement of Captain Matt Campion as the department's new Interim Deputy Chief. Fresh from graduating the prestigious FBI National Academy at Quantico, Campion brings refined leadership skills to an organization of over 400 employees, highlighting the department's commitment to succession planning and professional development. Subscribe to hear more insider perspectives on how your police department operates and evolves with your community!