AZLE — Last year was a busy one for the Azle Police Department. At a Feb. 18 Azle City Council meeting, APD Chief Ben Hall presented the department’s statistics and milestones for the year. Hall thanked Lt. Dora Grissom and crime analyst Leslie Dvorak for compiling the data and creating the PowerPoint shown during the meeting.
Of note, the department added eight new employees and promotion one officer to the rank of corporal. There were 5,967 traffic stops made, 55% of which resulted in a warning, while 45% resulted in a citation. With four new officer hires, APD’s patrol division ended 2024 fully staffed at 30 officers. The communications center logged 18,680 calls for service, with some of the top reasons including welfare checks, suspicious vehicle reports and reckless drivers. Officers made 607 arrests with the top three charges being driving while intoxicated, assault and drug possession. Traffic accidents decreased from the previous year, with 341 major accident reports, while alcoholrelated crashes doubled from 14 to 28. There were five fatal crashes, a 150% increase from 2023. Property crimes saw a rise compared with the previous year, with burglaries increasing by 110% due to groups targeting unlocked vehicles.
Animal control was another key area of focus, with Azle Animal Shelter staff responding to more than 1,600 calls, handling 500 shelter inquiries, and taking in 625 animals. The shelter adopted out 335 animals and received more than $17,000 in donations.
Telecommunicators answered 7,545 emergency calls and nearly 41,000 administrative calls. The department also improved regional partnerships, including joining the Parker County Regional SWAT Team, which enhances emergency response capabilities.
Through this partnership APD now has has access to specialized equipment, including armored vehicles and drones.
To look at a more comprehensive list of achievements and developments, readers can view the PowerPoint presentation at azletx.portal.civicclerk. com after clicking on the tab for the Feb. 18 council meeting.
