ANNUAL REPORT 2024
ANOTE FROMTHE CHIEF
Pride. Professionalism. Service.
Dear members of the Gilroy community,
As we share the Gilroy Police Department’s 2024 Annual Report, I want to take a moment to express how incredibly proud I am of our dedicated department members who serve this community every day. This report highlights our efforts, achievements, and the commitment we bring to your safety. From advancements in technology to a continued focus on officer wellness and succession planning, our department remains steadfast in its mission to provide the highest level of service.
As I prepare to retire in May, I do so with immense gratitude for the opportunity to have served as your Police Chief. I want to assure you that the quality of service you receive will remain uninterrupted. I have been working closely with our City Administrator Jimmy Forbis to ensure a smooth transition and the continued delivery of the best possible service to our community.
I am deeply thankful for the trust, confidence, and support the Gilroy community has shown me during my tenure over the past four and a half years. It has been a privilege to serve you.
Thank you for your unwavering support. It has been the honor of my life to serve as your Police Chief, and I am immensely proud of all that we have accomplished together
With heartfelt gratitude,
Pedro
PEDRO ESPINOZA PoliceChief
DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
We endeavor to serve and protect with a compassionate mindset We aim to approach every call with a high level of service, and it remains top of mind for us to always work to foster positive connections and partnerships with residents, schools, community-based organizations, and businesses to keep our community safe
VISION
The Gilroy Police Department is dedicated to courageously ensuring the safety of our community We work daily to accomplish this through our core values: respect, integrity, compassion, teamwork, innovation, and accountability
MISSION
Our mission is to provide excellent public safety services in partnership with the community. Our motto is: “Pride, Professionalism. Service.”
BUDGET HIGHLIGHTS
Adopted budget: $32,331,188
The police department’s budget is divided into two components -- the Special Revenue Fund and the General Fund A majority of the department’s funding sources are provided from the General Operating fund
The Special Revenue fund is described as intergovernmental funds in the manner of tax sharing or grants from Federal, State, County, and other regional entities For public safety, this includes funding for gang prevention, task forces, and the Proposition 172 sales tax
For the 2024 fiscal year, the approved General Fund for the Gilroy Police Department was $30,467,165. The approved Special Revenue was $1,864,023
CRIMEATAGLANCE
Total arrests in 2024: 1,460
Safeguarding our community and working to protect the City from criminal activity continues to be a top priority for us For the Gilroy Police Department, prompt responses to emergency calls, outreach efforts and engagement -both in the community and online -as well as working in collaboration with county and community-based organizations allows us to provide supportive assistance, diversion and other services to those who may need it.
For us, 2024 was the first full year utilizing the National IncidentBased Reporting System (NIBRS) to collect more detailed characteristics of events that are required to be reported to the FBI regarding criminal incidents
Under NIBRS, all the offenses within an incident are reported, giving a more robust and comprehensive look at policing and quality of life As we work to continue to cohesively report and collect data, we will be sharing those statistics with you in our annual reports as well as online at Gilroy.CrimeGraphics.com. This real-time website is updated consistently to reflect much of our daily services.
Our goal every day is the safety of our community. Our roundthe-clock efforts by our service delivery to ensure that our City is cared for and protected. Crime trended downward in 2024, and arrests were up as we work with the District Attorney’s Office to hold suspects accountable and bring justice to those who are victims of crime We remain vigilant to protecting Gilroy and making it a welcoming and secure place to live, work and visit.
OVERVIEW CALLS FOR SERVICE
TOTAL NUMBER OF CALLS TAKEN IN 2024: 119,066
The City of Gilroy’s 911 Communications Center is a fast-paced, public safety division that is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and staffed by a dedicated team of dispatchers whose mission is to provide for our community and our first responder teams in a professional and expedient manner.
The team dispatches emergency response units, monitors status and provides assistance for both the Gilroy Police Department and the Gilroy Fire Department
The center also handles administrative and city department requests and afterhours emergencies including calls from Public Works and Facilities & Utilities
From providing life-saving medical instructions to updates on in-progress crimes to responding officers, Gilroy dispatchers are vital to the public safety mission in serving with pride and professionalism
OVERVIEW CALLS FOR SERVICE
TOTAL CALLS FOR SERVICE IN 2024: 65,993
AVERAGE ANSWER TIME WITHIN 10 SECONDS OF EMERGENCY CALLS: 97.7%
Per the state’s Office of Emergency Services 911 standards, dispatchers are to answer 911 calls within 15 seconds 95% of the time. Answering 911 calls within 10 seconds 95% of the time remains our goal in Communications.
DATAENTRY
PROPERTYANDEVIDENCE
*Items destroyed this year were a combination of items held from 2023 (a non-destruction year) and items collected in calendar year 2024. Destruction of items in on a biennial basis.
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS
TOTAL CONTACTS IN 2024: 20,945
Of the total number of contacts the Gilroy Police Department had in 2024, only 44 resulted in a use of force. Of those 44 use of force incidents, 39 resulted in no injuries or minor injuries. Most contacts end peacefully and/ or are deescalated safely
In addition to the meticulous care officers took throughout the year when contacts were made during calls for service, training efforts were updated to include numerous real-life deescalation scenarios to better assimilate officers to situations they may encounter on a variety of calls. The department also officially deployed Taser 7s, which with the more advanced technology aims for fewer Taser deployments by officers when used
Also of note, eleven of our department personnel were recognized for their outstanding commitment and service to the Gilroy community in 2024.
INVESTIGATIONSANDTHE ANTI-CRIMETEAM(ACT)
2024wasabusyyearforourbureau, withdetectivesworkingrelentlessly tobringjusticetovictimsandtheir familiesandtokeepGilroysafe.
Total
Our detectives oversaw a major investigation in 2024 that identified and brought to justice several suspects involved in numerous retail thefts at the Gilroy Outlet Center. The team also quickly identified and arrested a suspect in a brazen daytime shooting on Easter Sunday.
Our Domestic Violence Detective spent the year working with the Family Justice Center and Community Solutions assisting survivors of domestic violence The detective also was pivotal in establishing a strangulation examination protocol at St Louise Hospital, which has greatly helped survivors in South County receive exams and services when they are victims.
Our Anti-Crime Team was exceptionally busy working to keep the Gilroy community safe Of their most noteworthy cases, the team was responsible for the safe apprehension and arrests of five individuals associated to a gang-related stabbing at the downtown Tamale festival in September. The team also successfully arrested and solved a gang-related robbery at San Ysidro Park as well as arrested several gang members connected to investigations for illegal possession of firearms and narcotics for sale.
In addition to these efforts, our ACT detectives as well as investigators worked with the California Highway Patrol to arrest several people in an effort to combat retail theft ACT detectives arrested a man wanted in connection with practicing dentistry on unsuspecting, vulnerable members of our community and kept busy partnering with outside agencies for other major investigations
SPECIALTY UNITS
DRONE TEAM
Logging more than 100 hours of mission flights and nearly 24 hours in training flights, our Drone Team became one of our busiest specialty units in 2024 The team was deployed on numerous searches for wanted suspects, structure fires, and high-risk critical incidents, including being the first deployed (drone as a first responder) to provide vital safety measures for our GPD teams
In addition to proactive public safety efforts, the team also provided much needed assistance monitoring fireworks responses during the Fourth of July holiday as well as crime scene overviews during investigations.
Patrol flight hours: 4046
SWAT flight hours: 2374
Investigations flight hours: 1343
Drone as a First Responder (DFR) flight hours: 2499
It was another busy year for our Community Engagement Team. They tackled more than 1,700 quality-of-life calls for service from community members, service providers, patrol officers, and from within their own team. Nearly 12 percent of department calls were related to quality of life issues.
Along with all their outreach, to include 6 community presentations, the CET officers handled 44 cases, issued 42 cites, and provided 99 warnings in trespassing related calls for service alone
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TEAM(CET)
Calls for service: 1,780
Unhoused-related calls services: 952
“Unwanted” calls for service: 175
Disturbance calls for service: 121
All other calls: 532
SCHOOLRESOURCE OFFICERS
With nearly 20 schools and thousands of students in Gilroy, our School Resource Officers stayed busy in 2024 connecting with students, parents, school staff and administrators. Last year, GPD welcomed a new SRO to the team -Officer Rocha as she and Officer Odell worked to champion positive and supportive school environments at the elementary, middle and high school grade levels.
The primary functions of our SROs include: maintaining a safe and secure campus for students and staff to have a positive learning environment, promoting community and positive relationships, and diverting youth away from the criminal justice system through programming, counseling and more
In addition to their work in the campus environment, SROs also provided support and/or coordination of our department’s Explorer program, the fourth annual Youth Academy, and National Night Out, among other events.
Counselingsessions
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Presentations,Meetingsand Trainings
K9 UNIT
2024 was another busy year for our K9 team, Maverick and Officer Tarasco. In addition to patrol work that featured 28 apprehensions, nine area searches, and six building searches, Maverick was also deployed 23 times specifically on events such as helping to safely confront a wanted subject or during a high-risk car stop The team also conducted three demonstrations and attended four additional courses and certifications.
240
41 Hoursoftraining deployments
Some noteworthy cases for the K9 team included Maverick tracking a violent domestic violence suspect across a large rural property, finding a suspect who fled from two other police agencies and was wanted on numerous felony warrants, and providing several mutual aid responses for CHP, Morgan Hill and the Santa Clara County Sheriff’s Office
In addition to all their work, Maverick and Officer Tarasco were re-certified by POST in 2024
SPECIALTY UNITS
MOUNTED UNIT
As the only Mounted Unit in the County, Gilroy PD’s team is a coveted addition to many community events and outreach efforts. In 2024, the team traveled to Sacramento for the Police Officer Memorial and participated in numerous local and regional events These included community academies in both English and Spanish as well as Coffee with a Cop, parades, classroom visits, and more
In addition, the team completed a 40-hour Advanced Mounted Officer Course in Southern California, in addition to their oncea-month, five hour training days
Total deployments: 15
Training hours: 100
Number of horses: 6
Total hours trained
Gilroy/Morgan Hill SWAT is a joint tactical response team with members of both the Gilroy and Morgan Hill Police Departments The team consists of a Tactical Operations Command supported by tactical dispatchers, an entry team, a sniper team, a tactical medic team -- comprised of members of the Gilroy Fire Department and Cal-Fire -- and K-9 and drone teams
All missions are done in conjunction with the Crisis Response Team, also comprised of members of GPD and MHPD
Deployments: 13
Homicide cases: 1
Assault with a deadly weapon cases: 2
Firearms cases: 2
Armed robbery cases: 4
Other cases: 4
PEER SUPPORT/CISD
The Gilroy Police Department’s Critical Incident Support Debrief (CISD) and Peer Support Team plays a vital role in ensuring the long-term success of the Department’s wellness program. The team includes both sworn and professional staff, including three Police Chaplains and a retired Police Corporal who is also a licensed marriage and family therapist The CISD Team assists impacted department personnel following critical incidents In 2024, the team conducted several debriefings and has continued to enhance the department’s wellness initiatives.
CISD Team members are required to complete the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) education, including Peer Support and Critical Incident Stress Debriefing In 2024, the team also attended the Santa Clara Public Safety Wellness Symposium and the Public Safety Peer Support Association Conference.
Also in 2024, the University of California San Diego selected the Gilroy Police Department to participate in a POST-certified 720 Health Program, which includes Mind-Body and Resilience Training This program is designed for all members of the Gilroy Police Department (both sworn officers and professional staff) and covers areas such as Awareness, Connection, Movement, Nutrition, Purpose, and Rest Through this comprehensive program, the team has been collaborating with UCSD and POST to update the department’s long-term wellness program There are only six agencies in the state selected to participate in this model program.
TRAFFICUNIT
The Traffic unit is comprised of one Sergeant and tree officers The team also consists of a Parking / Abatement Community Service Officer (CSO) and a part-time office assistant. The Traffic Unit manages all traffic-related issues within the city, investigates major injury and fatal collisions, enforces traffic laws, provides trafficrelated education, and oversees parking enforcement.
All traffic officers are members of the Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) MAIT is also a collateral assignment for other Gilroy police officers Team members are activated for traffic collisions that involve death or serious injuries, among other circumstances. In 2024, MAIT officers investigated a total of three fatal collisions.
In 2024, the California Office of Traffic Safety awarded the City of Gilroy a grant for traffic enforcement/DUI-related enforcement in the amount of $111,000. The grant was used to conduct three DUI Checkpoints, participate in targeted enforcement for distracted driving and other identified targeted traffic enforcement, and for education for Drug Recognition Experts (DRE’s).
The Parking / Abatement Community Service Officer is responsible for removing cars from public roadways that are in violation of the California Vehicle Code registration requirements, are non-operational or abandoned. Gilroy PD towed 107 vehicles in 2024, and the Parking / Abatement CSO tagged 856 vehicles that were removed, re-registered or otherwise brought into compliance by their owners In total, approximately 1,200 parking citations were issued in 2024
SOUTHCOUNTY YOUTHTASKFORCE
BACKGROUND
Based out of the Gilroy Police Department, the South County Youth Task Force (SCYTF) is a volunteer-based, non-political body serving the South Santa Clara County cities of Morgan Hill, Gilroy, and San Martin. The goal of the SCYTF is to promote a safe and nurturing community that creates and ensures sustainable access to opportunities, resources, and services for South County youth and their families while empowering their voice and supporting growth and success
By working to create a community that is safe and free of youth violence where young people are strong, thriving, and connected to their families, schools, and neighborhoods, the SCYTF aims to encourage information and resource sharing and to advance evidence-based prevention and intervention strategies as well as unite South County entities to empower the communities’ youth SCYTF is a collaboration of local governments, school districts, community and faith-based organizations, and law enforcement agencies in South County who are committed to serving, supporting, and uplifting our youth so that they have the opportunity to thrive.
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youthreferredtoDiversion programming
Along with supporting dedicated case management, youth outreach, school youth groups, the South County Restorative Justice Youth Diversion Program, and a variety of community-focused trainings, the SCYTF sponsors and co-produces prosocial programming like weekly Late Night Gyms, National Night Out, Party in the Park, handball tournaments, youth field trips, and Dia del Niño
3,136
Totalunduplicatedyouthandadults servedin2024
14,079
Totalduplicatedyouthandadults servedacrossallprogramsin2024
2024 marked the first full year of implementation for My90, a community survey that offers anonymous feedback options to individuals following contact with law enforcement personnel with certain calls for service In partnership with Axon, the survey generated 1,248 responses in 2024.
Of those who utilized the post-contact survey, roughly 58 percent were women and 41 percent were men. Roughly 47 percent of respondents identified as Caucasian, 41 percent of respondents identified as Hispanic/ Latino, and about 5 percent identified as Asian, in addition to other respondents To note, 80 percent of respondents were 36 years or older, and 81 percent of respondents stated they viewed the department very positively or positively in 2024
COMMUNITY SURVEY
As part of the ongoing effort by the Gilroy Police Department to ensure transparency and quality service to the community we serve, we launched in 2023 a community survey feedback loop that allows residents to provide general feedback to the department This survey, which can be accessed at any time, gives residents the opportunity to highlight the work of the department, suggest areas for growth or improvement, and gives them a voice in how the department can best meet their needs and expectations.
The QR code seen here sends respondents directly to the survey We value the feedback, and look forward to working together to continually serve and protect with pride and professionalism.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
The Gilroy Police Department hosted or participated in numerous community events in 2024, including Women in Law Enforcement Day, Coffee with a Cop, the Law Enforcement Torch Run, National Night Out, a summer barbecue at Alexander Station, community police academies and much more.
PERSONNEL ANDPROMOTIONS
In December 2024, we had the pleasure of hosting a promotional event to not only highlight new employees, but to welcome new leadership to our ranks The event also gave us the chance to highlight award recipients for Officer of the Year and Professional Staff Member of the Year, among other awards The ceremony was attended by personnel, their families, and community members, was a highlight of our year
