College Station city council gets a review of 2024's police department activity

This podcast contains comments from the February 13, 2025 College Station city council meeting.Presentations at the February 13, 2025 College Station city council meeting included 2024 calendar year activity at the police department.Click HERE to read and download presentation materials from the February 13, 2025 College Station city council meeting.Police chief Billy Couch reported making his goal for the second straight year of officers responding to the most urgent calls...involving lights and sirens...within six minutes.There were 4,000 fewer calls for service compared with 2023, despite an increasing population. Couch said it was hard to give a reason for the decline.The number of aggravated assaults went up from 97 to 118. Couch said that number went up in part due to gang activity that also contributed to thefts of guns from unlocked vehicles, homes and apartments.Among other statistics, Couch said the one of eight categories that increased in 2024 over 2023 was the number of patrol officer initiated "focus calls".In the Northgate bar district last year, Couch said there were 631 arrests and diverting at least an equal number from being taken to jail.And out of CSPD's 24,000 traffic stops last year, Couch said more than 60 percent of drivers received a warning.The chief also talked about the second year of CSPD using drones. Currently, the department has 11 drones that are used in a variety of functions.As for staffing, Couch said 24 officers are currently in training and a consultant says CSPD could use another 14. The chief added he is happy with the staffing of 9-1-1 dispatchers following pay increases approved by the council.