Erie police department releases 2023 strategic plan – Boulder Daily Camera
The Erie Police Department have shared the 2023 strategic plan. The plan will guide activities, focused efforts and budget decisions.
The 2023 goals are safety and crime prevention, community and efficiency and effectiveness. While these are the same goals as in 2022 and 2021, the objectives to meet each goal are different.
The objectives for safety and crime prevention are to reduce neighborhood crime, promote traffic safety, conduct quality criminal investigations, apprehend impaired drivers and promote responsible liquor sales. The police department plans to deter neighborhood crime with increased and directed patrols. They also will provide education and enforcement for traffic violations, focusing on high accident areas.
Erie Deputy Chief Lee Mathis said the department will post traffic safety reminders throughout the year through email and social media. Mathis said those reminders could be either general reminders or tips on how to navigate high accident areas.
The community goal objectives are surveys, education and enforcement of code ordinances, engage with LGBTQ+ liaison programs, service projects, education and information for crime trends and transparency. Officers will host an open house and will organize community service projects. The newly formed Law Enforcement LGBTQ+ Liaisons will promote positive relationships and train police department employees. The police department will also share the location and frequency of property crime data.
Mathis said the department will host events in 2023 to foster a relationship with the community.
“We hope to engage with the community in positive ways,” Mathis said, “and listen to the community, see what their concerns are, see the kind of job we’re doing and give people a chance to interact with us in a way that is not negative or perceived as negative.”
Mathis also said that many members of the police department have gone through LGBTQ+ liaisons training. The training ensures that the department has an effective, working relationship with the LGBTQ+ community. He said the liaisons will do outreach programs and train other members of the department.
The efficiency and effectiveness objectives are crash team readiness, unmanned aerial system programs, establishing a K-9 unit, providing victim services and maintaining and optimizing training for employees. Victim services will be fully operational in 2023 and will provide assistance and outreach. The initial K-9 unit will be ready by summer 2023.
Erie police officer Conner Willyard will be the first K-9 handler in the department. In March, he will visit the Vohne Liche Kennels in Indiana for six weeks and receive K-9 handler training. He said the K-9 will serve both narcotics and patrol functions. The K-9 will serve as an in-house resource, rather than having to call in other jurisdictions.
“Officers are using, just their eyes,” Willyard said, “where a K-9 uses hearing, smell, eyes and all sorts of things. They have the capability to help.”
More information about the plan and objectives can be found at erieco.gov/police.
