The Homewood Police Department saw an increase in calls for service in 2024.
According to the annual report, the department handled 21,449 calls for service, an increase from 19,509 in 2023. July was the busiest month with more than 2,000 calls. Midday and afternoon hours had the highest activity, with the afternoon shift accounting for approximately 42% of all calls.
Despite the rise in call volume, officers recorded 23 use-of-force incidents, representing just 0.107% of all calls. The report noted no reportable uses of force under national reporting standards for 2024.
Under the National Incident Based Reporting System (NIBRS), the department documented 832 Group A offenses in 2024, down from 1,014 the year prior. NIBRS classifies crimes such as assault, theft and fraud as Group A offenses, the report says.
Crimes against property decreased from 804 to 634. Crimes against other people remained steady at 164 incidents.
The department made 693 total arrests, including 266 Group A arrests and 427 Group B arrests. NIBRS classifies retail theft, possession of controlled substances and aggravated unlawful possession of a weapon as Group B offenses, which were the most common felony charges.
Traffic crashes totaled 812, slightly down from 821 in 2023. Injury crashes increased from 101 to 114, while fatal crashes remained at two for the second year in a row.
The department reported nine vehicle accidents involving Homewood employees, none resulting in injuries.
Homewood issued 5,979 parking and compliance citations, similar to recent years. Fines collected from those citations totaled $129,730.
Municipal ordinance violation enforcement citations processed through the village reached 210, with $6,425 in fines collected.
Red-light cameras generated between 746 and 1,206 citations depending on the intersection location. The village collected $339,289 in fines through the red-light safety program.
The Criminal Investigations Unit handled 484 investigations, a decrease from 610 in 2023. Felony arrests made by detectives dropped slightly from 29 to 27, the report says.
Cases cleared without arrest jumped from 296 to 1,004, which is due to updated procedures and changes in how cases are classified, the report says.
The department continued its emphasis on training, completing 110 courses in 2024 for a total of 4,126 training hours. Monthly topics ranged from domestic violence and taser refreshers to tactical response and de-escalation, the report says.
Personnel changes included several promotions, including three new sergeants, and the hiring of multiple officers and records clerks. By the end of 2024, the department reported a mix of full-time officers, part-time staff and community service officers supporting daily operations.
According to the report, Community Service Officers handled 405 calls, including 189 animal complaints and 106 vehicle lockouts. They issued 769 parking and compliance citations, most commonly for expired registration and no valid state registration or valid village tag.
