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đźš“ Albemarle Police Chief Presents Annual Report to City Council
Albemarle Police Chief Jason Manley shared the department’s 2024 annual report with City Council this week, highlighting key crime statistics, accomplishments, and community engagement efforts.
“Tonight I’m presenting the amazing work of the men and women of the Albemarle Police Department in our annual report,” said Chief Manley.
Key takeaways from the report:
- Staffing & Accreditation
- Albemarle PD currently has 52 sworn officers—its full allotment—and 7 civilian personnel.
- The department remains the only accredited agency in Stanly County and one of just 75 in North Carolina to meet the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) standards.
- Crime Statistics
- Overall crime in Albemarle fell by 7.5% in 2024.
- The city has seen a 5-year average crime reduction of 21%.
- Violent crime ticked up slightly, but property crime dropped 12%.
- “These results are in large part due to the proactive work of our men and women,” said Manley.
- Case Closure Rates
- The Criminal Investigations Division cleared both of the city’s homicides in 2024.
- Albemarle PD outperformed national closure averages in most categories except rape, arson, and aggravated assault—cases that are complex and less frequent locally.
- The department works closely with The Butterfly House and Esther House to support victims of domestic and sexual violence.
- Community Engagement & Call Volume
- Officers responded to over 27,000 calls for service in 2024.
- More than 17,000 of those were from citizens.
- Nearly 5,000 were officer-initiated—including traffic stops, patrols, and follow-ups.
- Officers conducted just under 5,000 traffic stops, yielding:
- 318 speeding citations (a 125% increase)
- 63 DWI arrests
- 34 reckless driving citations
- Officers responded to over 27,000 calls for service in 2024.
- Accountability & Internal Affairs
- The department reviewed 42 internal complaints, 11 of which came from the public.
- These accounted for just 0.5% of all officer interactions.
- Reviews also included 25 use-of-force incidents, 14 employee vehicle collisions, and 10 vehicle pursuits.
- New K-9 Unit
- In 2024, Albemarle PD added a second police canine, trained in narcotics detection and patrol support.
- Community Feedback
- Chief Manley encouraged citizens to provide input: “We encourage them to reach out to us—whether by telephone, on our webpage, or in person. Stop and talk to our officers.”
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