Progress Indicators
Published on October 18, 2025
Now that we’ve gathered three quarters worth of numbers for 2025, we’re getting a better sense of how the department is doing on its key progress indicators developed within the City’s Strategic Plan, which are displayed in charts throughout this edition of “The City Beat”.
NIBRS Crimes (National Incident Based Reporting System)
Locally, we have seen a statistically significant drop from last year to this year in Crimes Against Property reported to the department. While this could be a function of less reporting of incidents, the Lawrence Kansas Police Department (LKPD) has multiple ways to report a crime including having an officer respond to the scene, speaking with a Community Service Technician, or making an online report. There is also a significant increase in Crimes Against Society which include things like drug offenses, weapons violation, and animal cruelty to name a few.
Calls for Service Chart
The Lawrence Police Department has typically received between 2900 and 3900 Calls for Service from community members requesting a police response. Patrol officers also generate an additional 2700 to 4100 calls during the month. The self-generated calls can be anything from stopping a car for a traffic violation to observing a more serious crime in progress. We will typically see an increase in Calls for Service during the third quarter of the year as many students return to Lawrence and the population increases. This doesn’t necessarily indicate the students cause crime or mayhem, but the increase in population leads to an increase in many different things.
Top 5 Call Locations
We use the Top 5 Call Locations initiated by community members to, in part, direct patrol resources. We also use this information as a starting point to work with community partners, businesses, and landlords in addressing ongoing issues and finding longer-term solutions. Some identified locations, such as a medical facility, will continue to appear because a person who is hurt or injured may seek medical help prior to calling 911. In other words, the police may be called to the hospital for an incident that occurred at another location in the city.
Alternative Service Delivery
The county Mental Health Team continues to respond to non-violent calls for service when they are able. That team is separate from the LKPD Mental Health Team, which saw consistent staff reductions in 2025. The LKPD Mental Health Team’s response numbers will likely continue to decrease through next year due to additional staff reductions in the 2026 budget.
The department continues to staff Community Service Technicians, who are trained civilian report takers. Using trained civilians is a more cost-efficient way to respond to calls. These trained report technicians not only provide a great option for community members, they also create capacity for officers to attend to violent situations and respond to incidents where the legal authority to enforce the law is necessary.
Percentage of Resolved Cases
Patrol and the Investigation Division continue to work towards a resolution in cases whenever possible. Case “Clearances” as the state reports them, represent a specific set of outcomes include when an arrest is made, the case has been declined by a prosecutor, the victim refuses to testify, etc. To this list of possible resolutions, we have added that a suspect was issued a citation or summons to appear in court and an affidavit for charging was submitted to a prosecuting office. We continue to work on ways in which we can improve upon the resolution rate and that each case is given the attention it deserves.
Domestic Violence
The work on domestic violence cases is very important work. Not only responding to incidents that are occurring but also working with domestic violence survivors to connect them to resources and partners in the community to try and end the cycle of violence. Our Victim/Witness Coordinator reviews every reported incident of domestic violence and follows up to ensure that the victims have access to support services.
LKPD commanders analyze trends in these numbers as a strategy for continuous improvement. The data can help directly inform where we deploy officers, how we prioritize training, and where we need to add community partners in safety.
We are committed to this ongoing education and hope it exemplifies our dedication to creating a more safe and secure Lawrence.