The Lacey Police Department reported a 10% decrease in overall crime during a city council work session on Tuesday, March 11, with Chief Robert Almada presenting the 2024 Public Safety update.
The crime rate stood at 50 crimes per 1,000 residents, down from 56 in the previous year.
Almada highlighted the police department’s commitment to community-oriented policing and blending data-driven crime analysis with outreach efforts.
“We really put emphasis on community care,” shared Almada. “Taking education first, and then we do enforcement second.”
The department responded to more than 42,000 incidents in 2024, with 2,100 arrests. That marked a 26% increase from the previous year.
Traffic collisions dropped by 10.9%, with only two fatal collisions, which was a 50% reduction from 2023.
Almada said the fully-staffed Community Resource Unit, School Resource Program and Traffic Unit allowed officers to maintain a strong community presence.
“We really focus on rapid response calls for service,” Almada said. “We don't like to let things linger.”
The chief of police also emphasized a strategic approach to homelessness. He said the Mobile Outreach Team, comprising of a designated crisis responder, mental health clinicians and peer support specialists, worked to build trust and link individuals in crisis to essential services.
“Our approach to homelessness is really comprehensive,” Almada said. “It's rooted in human dignity, compassion, empathy and seeking improved outcomes through both service collaboration, cooperation and accountability.”
Almada also outlined five strategic priorities for 2025: a focus on staffing, retention and training, with an emphasis on professional development and career progression.
Currently, the department has 72 funded commissioned full-time employees (FTEs) and 18.5 civilian FTEs. The force has grown from 52 trained officers in November 2023 to 66 officers at the end of 2024, with further recruitment ongoing.
Almada said the department is the “most diverse law enforcement agency in the county and the region,” with women making up 31.03% of the workforce.
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