Safety Committee

Safety Committee February 5, 2025, 6:15 PM Council Chambers 120 N. Main Street Page 1. ROLL CALL 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES A. Approval of the January 5th, 2026, meeting minutes 2026-01- 3 05 Safety.docx 3. MAYOR NOBLE A. Reports- EOM-Jan 2026.pdf 4 4. CHIEF ESSERT A. Traffic Lights/No Turns B. Zoning Projects/Communication C. Hiring/Staffing D. 2025 Yearly Report Review- Bethel yearly report 2025.pdf 5 - 28 5. COMMITEE CHAIR A. Reports 6. EXECUTIVE SESSION A. Enter Executive Session Page 1 of 28  B. End Executive Session 7. ADJOURNMENT A. Adjourn EXECUTIVE SESSION Page 2 of 28  Bethel Village Council Safety Committee Monday, January 5, 2026 Members present Mr. Dunn, Ms. Shepherd, Mr. Ausman, Mayor Noble Also in attendance: Village Administrator Holly Isaacs, Chief Essert, Ms. Smith Meeting called to order. 1. ROLL CALL 2. APPROVAL OF MINUTES Motion to approve December 4, 2025, meeting minutes by Mr. Dunn, seconded by Ms. Shepherd. By roll: “yea” – Mr. Ausman, Ms. Shepherd, Mr. Dunn Motion carried 3. MAYOR NOBLE A. Reports Thank you to the police department for their work over the holidays and with all the events we had in December. 4. POLICE DEPARTMENT – Chief Essert reporting A. Promotion in January In the council meeting on Thursday, we will be promoting Officer Alexander to Sergeant. B. 2026 Programs Chief Essert went over some of the programs for 2026. C. COPS Grant Currently, the grant is not available. This grant would fund a full-time officer for three years and the village would have to agree to keep that officer on for an additional two years. 5. COMMITTEE CHAIR A. Reports Nothing to report. I hope everyone had a good Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thank you to everyone for 2025 and I look forward to 2026. 6. ADJOURNMENT Motion to adjourn Mr. Dunn, second by Ms. Shepherd By roll: “yea” – Mr. Ausman, Ms. Shepherd, Mr. Dunn Motion carried Page 3 of 28 VILLAGE OF BETHEL MAYOR’S COURT PAYMENT DISBURSEMENT FORM Jan-26 CITY: COMPUTER FUND $1,880.00 GENERAL REVENUE FUND $4,042.00 ADDITIONAL COST $40.00 CITY REVENUE FROM FINES $7,254.00 LAW AND ENFORCEMENT FUND $0.00 DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT $0.00 WARRANT PICK UP FEE $0.00 WARRANT BLOCK FEE $0.00 BENCH WARRANT FEE $0.00 LOCAL LICENSE FORFEITURE FEE $300.00 STATE LICENSE FORFEITURE FEE $0.00 PAYMENT PLAN FEE $100.00 CONTINUANCE FEE $0.00 PET. FOR DRIVING PRIV ($75.00) SUBPOENA FEE $30.00 PAYMENT TO VILLAGE: $13,571.00 OTHER: INDIGENT DRIVER ALC TREATMENT FUND $130.50 COLLECTION FEE $0.00 ALCOHOL INDIGENT DRIVER FUND $0.00 PAYMENT TO AUDITORS OFFICE: $130.50 STATE: STATE GENERAL REVENUE $0.00 STATE VICTIMS OF CRIME $797.00 DRUG LAW ENFORCEMENT FUND $305.50 INDIGENT DEFENSE SUPPORT FUND $2,245.00 SEAT BELT DRIVER $0.00 SEAT BELT PASSENGER $0.00 SEAT BELT CHILD RESTRAINT $0.00 STATE BOND SURCHARGE $0.00 PAYEMENT TO THE STATE: $3,347.50 TOTAL DISBURSED: $17,049.00 TOTAL CITATIONS 116 Mayors Court, 0 Juvenile Court, 1 Municipal Court Page 4 of 28  2025 Annual Department Report Bethel Police Department Page 5 of 28  Mission Statement We, of the Bethel Police Department, are committed to work in partnership with our community, to safeguard life and property while ensuring the rights of all people and thereby enhancing the quality of life for our citizens. Organizational Values Fairness Integrity Loyalty Empathy Page 6 of 28  OVERVIEW And Thank you for your interest in the Village of Bethel Police Department’s 2025 Annual Report. In 2025, the Police Department saw an increase in overall criminal activity, including violent crime arrests. By the latter part of the year, the department was managing more than 17 active felony investigations. To address this workload, an officer was temporarily reassigned from patrol duties to focus on investigations. This effort resulted in the successful closure of 11 cases and nine felony indictments. Traffic enforcement activity and traffic-related crashes declined compared to 2024, even as vehicle traffic through the village increased by approximately 3%. Staffing remained a challenge throughout the year. The department began 2025 operating at 35% below its authorized staffing level. While all vacant positions were eventually filled, officers continued to serve the community at minimum staffing levels while responding to an increased number of calls for service. Looking ahead to 2026, strengthening staffing levels will be a key priority for the department. Ensuring appropriate minimum staffing on each shift is essential not only for officer safety, but also for the safety and well-being of the community we serve. Adequate staffing allows officers to respond more quickly to calls for service, maintain a visible presence in the village, and provide the level of care and professionalism our residents expect. By evaluating and adjusting staffing levels, the department remains committed to protecting the community while supporting the officers who Page 7 of 28 serve it every day  Chad R. Essert Chief of Police • I want to first start by thanking the men and woman of this agency who each and everyday, come to work and fight tirelessly to make this a better community. • The Bethel Police Department continues to work with community members and leaders to achieve the highest level of police services. I am very excited to share the accomplishments we as a team achieved in 2025. • The members of this agency continue to meet the ongoing demands of the police profession. In today's climate, policing has become very difficult and hard to find new men and woman who desire this calling. This causes most departments to be short staffed with longer hours. We continue to provide the quality of service The Village of Bethel has grown to know. • I am truly honored and blessed to serve as your Chief of Page 8 of 28 Police.  Police Department Flow Chart Chief of Police Chad R. Essert Police Clerk Alexis Nagy Sgt Don Fourth Sgt Collin Blevins 1st Squad. 2nd Squad School Resource • 1st Squad Patrol • 2nd Squad Patrol Officer • Fleet Management • Scheduling • Property Room • Off-Duty Details • OHLEG/LEADS • Hiring/Recruitment • BWC Program • FTO Supervisor • Investigations • Training/CPT Page 9 of 28 2025  • Bethel Ohio 45106 • 2,635 Village population • 4,200 approximately day- Community time population Statistics • 1.41 Sq. miles • officer to resident ratio= 1: 329 Page 10 of 28  Personnel vs Operation Costs 91,266, 8% 2025 Police Budget Income Tax- $570,000- budgeted 224,712, 20% GF transfer- $360,500 Personnel Cost Misc. budget- $91,417 Operating Cost 796,705, 72% SRO Contract Total: Budget- $1,021,417 *Misc.- SRO Contract, Grants Page 11 of 28  2025 Criminal Reports & Crash Reports Criminal Reports Crash reports 400 369 350 78 300 72 68 250 57 202 200 181 48 150 100 50 0 2023 2024 2025 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 Page 12 of 28 Reports Traffic Crashes  3-YEAR Traffic Statistics W. Plane at Angel Dr W. Plane at Union St Year Daily Total PA BC Year Daily Total PA BC 2024 18,625 17,994 631 2024 12,191 11,750 441 2023 18,278 17,659 619 2023 11,964 11,531 433 2022 18,032 17,768 264 2022 11,938 11,709 229 Page 13 of 28 PA- Passenger Car Georgetown- 125/68: (7,378) BC- Business/Comm-Class 4 New Richmond- 52: (12,192) Batavia- Riverside: (8,404)  Mayors Court 2025 1600 1400 1353 1200 1000 1134 1087 919 956 800 910 600 400 200 0 2023 2024 2025 Page 14 of 28 Traffic Tickets Warnings  Mayors Court 3-year Comparison 3 YEAR TOTALS 2024 GROSS MONTHLY TOTALS Total $ Collected Jan 250,000 9% 7% Feb 10% 6% March 200,000 201,198 Apr 178,085 6% May 150,000 166,763 11% June 141,756 131,011 131,680 5% July 100,000 6% Aug 12% 50,000 Sept 6% Oct 11% 11% 0 Nov 2023 2024 2025 Dec Page 15 of 28 Gross Paid to Village  Police Incidents Calls for service Criminal Arrests 100 6060 90 2025 4253 80 2007 70 6080 60 2024 4330 50 1750 40 30 6845 20 2023 5256 1589 10 0 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 2023 2024 2025 Total Call Logs Self-Initiated Dispatched Violent Non-Violent Page 16 of 28  Fleet cost comparison 2024 2025 Costs Costs 3% 7% 10% 17% 90% 73% Fuel Fuel PM PM Repairs Repairs Page 17 of 28 Total mileage for 2024: 43,793 Total mileage for 2025: 63,894 Fuel Cost: $16,755.35 Fuel Cost: $17,613.19  • Bethel Police Department has been using Lexipol for police policy since 2016. In late 2021, The Bethel Police Department was awarded “Gold” standard for the first time in Bethel history. • Since then, The Bethel Police has obtained Gold every quarter and was awarded Gold Standard Police Policy for the 2025 year. • 17 Quarters, 5 years in a row! • This is the highest level of recognition Lexipol sets on agencies. It is awarded to those departments that meet the highest of policy standards, training compliance, and legal policy updates. Page 18 of 28  Flock Camera System May of 2025, Flock Cameras were Topic Alerts installed. Village Currently has 6 Cameras throughout the Village. Stolen Plates 17 In 2025 a total of 449,287 plates read Warrants 66 Stolen Vehicles 8 Page 19 of 28 Custom Alert Hits 20 Missing Person 1  In August, a subject called • In December, the Flock 911 stating he was driving suspect was found Success… on Starling Rd coming into the Village and was guilty and is serving 7 years in prison. involved in a road-rage incident. Driver stated a male in a “blue Kia” pulled • This was solved within a gun and fired multiple 30 minutes because of shots into the victim's the technology of Flock. vehicle. Within 20 minutes, using Flock Cameras, just having the deception, officers were able to ID the suspect. Page 20 of 28  POLICY DAILY TRAINING TOPICS Page 21 of 28  Our agency completed 687 Training Hours Training hours for 2025 Officer Total Training Hours for 2025 Essert 88 Fourth 32 Blevins 40 Alexander 126 Hooven 105 Goody 56 Ratliff 112 Hussey 24 Brock 24 Ginn 56 Page 22 of 28 Comstock 24 Dept average: 62 training hours per officer  Community outreach Page 23 of 28  This year we hosted several community events that helped continue to build strong relationships with our community Women’s self defense course Party-in-the-Park Cones with Cops Kids Movie Night Page 24 of 28  New Officers • In May we added 3 new police officers. • Ofc Alexander • Ofc Hussey • Ofc Comstock Page 25 of 28  • In September, our agency won “Ohio’s 2025 Photo Challenge” Agencies all over Ohio posted Agency Award a photo of their police vehicles for the public to vote each day. Bethel Police won our category and placed 2nd overall in the entire state with over 18,000 votes. Page 26 of 28  County-wide awards • In May, The Clermont County Chamber of Commerce recognized Sgt Fourth for outstanding investigations for his work on a child who was abducted by his non-custodial parent. After 2 days of tracking the subject, the child was found safely in Columbus, Ohio. • The Chamber also recognized Ofc Alexander for outstanding service award for his ongoing contributions to community policing. Page 27 of 28  2025 Officer of the Year This year, the entire police department unanimously voted to award Chief Essert the Officer of the Year honor. Over the past four years, Chief Essert has dedicated himself tirelessly to rebuilding the department. He has never shied away from working the streets, attending the same training as patrol officers, and advocating relentlessly to make the Bethel Police Department the best in the county. Chief Essert consistently puts his officers first in every decision he makes. Under his leadership, our agency has continued to grow, successfully recruit outstanding officers, and make significant strides in community relations. This award is a true testament to the respect, appreciation, and confidence the members of this agency have in Chief Essert. Page 28 of 28