Deputy chief says calls and proactive policing are up as department rebuilds

Deputy Chief Hattersley told the Desert Hot Springs Public Safety Commission on March 12 that the police department handled about 1,600 calls for service in the reporting month, up from roughly 1,300 the previous month, and that officer-initiated activity also rose.

"You'll see that we had 1,600 total calls for service," Deputy Chief Hattersley said, noting increases in traffic stops, building checks and narcotics arrests tied to more proactive patrols and the department's outreach teams.

Hattersley said the department's Crisis Response Team and the Social Work Action Group (SWAG) have helped steer people with addiction or mental-health needs toward recovery services rather than arrest. He said officers have referred people to SWAG and that those who decline services tend to be booked instead.

The deputy chief described several staffing and training developments: the department is authorized to overstaff to 36 positions, has a cohort of officers in field training, several academy slots reserved and an explorer program with 19 participants. He also said one dispatch trainee, Monica, is finishing her shadow phase and will help fill staffing gaps.

Commissioners asked about internal oversight. Hattersley said citizen complaints are rare in the records he reviewed'one formal complaint in about two years'and explained the distinction between informal, supervisor-handled concerns and formal citizen complaints that are logged for review. He described the use-of-force review process: all use-of-force reports are reviewed up the chain of command and body-worn camera footage is examined; cases outside policy are upgraded for internal affairs or training as appropriate.

Commissioners also pressed officers on how the department tracks private-property collisions (officers document crashes on roadways and will not take reports for private-property incidents unless there is a hit-and-run or exchange of information) and on the department's role responding to unhoused people in the field; Hattersley said SWAG responds on scene and can provide immediate transport to services when individuals accept them.

The commission did not take a formal vote on police staffing or budgets at the meeting; Hattersley said he would continue to brief the commission as staffing and proactive work increase.

The commission moved next to routine administrative items and deferred other agenda items for future meetings.