Milford police summarize 2025 activity, cite two use-of-force incidents and new programs

Chief Jamie Mills of the Milford Police Department presented the department2025 annual report to the Milford City Council on April 6, 2026, highlighting staffing changes, new technology and department goals for 2026.

"The men and women of the Milford Police Department rose to the challenge and took advantage of every opportunity to provide our community with excellence in policing," Mills said, and noted the department has made policy and usage statistics available on the department webpage.

In the report Mills listed key 2025 metrics: the department patrolled over 150,000 miles, provided more than 50 hours of in-service training, wrote 12,976 reports, made 280 arrests, conducted 2,889 traffic stops, investigated 284 automobile accidents and issued 1,616 citations.

Mills described new and existing tools intended to improve investigations and community safety: fixed license-plate readers and Flock Safety technology to assist in locating missing people and recovering stolen vehicles, and a donated drone purchased with funds from the now-former Day Heights Firefighters Memorial. He said the drone will assist in locating missing or wanted people, document outdoor crime scenes and provide real-time information during critical incidents.

On use of force, Mills said Milford detained 3,169 people in 2025 and recorded two "responses to resistance." He told council there were no complaints filed stemming from those two incidents and that a two-incident count limits the ability to draw trend conclusions: "With only two occurrences, a significant in-depth analysis isn't possible." He said both incidents involved suspects resisting lawful orders and that supervisors conducted multi-level reviews.

Mills also reviewed pursuit and internal-affairs policies. He said Milford officers initiated one vehicle pursuit in 2025 and that the department self-terminates a substantial share of pursuits for safety reasons (69% over the past 10 years). He reported three citizen-initiated investigations and one internal complaint in 2025 and said annual reviews showed no indication of bias in the department's enforcement data.

Looking ahead, Mills summarized 2026 goals: reducing nuisance calls and Part I crimes through targeted patrols, improving pedestrian safety and crosswalks, deploying speed signs in the Parkway District, expanding the departmentdrone program and producing a department resource guide to support officer wellness.

Council members asked clarifying questions during the presentation; Mills offered to follow up by email on requested details. The departmentfull report is available on the city's website, the chief said.