The Castle Rock Police Department has released the first draft of its first five-year strategic plan that provides part of a road map for how the department will match the town’s burgeoning growth with services.
“It gives the organization a strategic road map, where are we going, how are we going to do it. Those are all important as we work to serve and protect the community,” police chief Jack Cauley said.
Integral to the plan are a series of benchmarks for every goal and priority. For example, goal one is to maintain or reduce crime and the perception of crime done by strategies such as intelligence-based policing through crime statistics analysis and to enhance pro-active problem-oriented policing.
This is to be measured by being at or below the Benchmark Cities’ average per 1,000 citizens for violent and property crimes, and community perception of department effectiveness at 80 percent of levels indicated on the town’s 2013 community survey responses.
Community involvement with and perception of the department is a big part of the plan. Cauley said the department already engages in community policing and intends to continue that. He defined community policing as being attuned to resident concerns about crime and working with the community, including businesses, to be proactive and mitigate any crime from happening in the first place. It’s about building relationships with the community at times other than crises.
“I think that sometimes people don’t feel comfortable;e walking up and talking to a police officer, so if we provide opportunities for people to get to know people officers on a more informal basis that allows for communication and an open dialogue,” Cauley said.
In 2012, Castle Rock’s population reached 50,000
, and it continues to grow with a blossoming housing sector. In addition to monitoring growth forecasts and working with development services to make sure they are current with levels of service, the department intends to monitor officer workloads and evaluate efficient methods of delivering service to new areas.
The department will have grown from 54 sworn officers in 2011 to 65 by 2014, with all 11 hires coming this year and next.
“We have to monitor how that impacts our call to service, how that impacts our roadways, how that impacts our quality of life,” Commander Jason Lyons of the patrol division said about the town’s growth. “So, we have to grow with the town rather than watching the town grow and trying to keep up.”
Lyons helped form the plan and said it has been well-received by department employees, who were consulted for the plan.
“Not only do they feel they’re achievable (goals), they feel collectively we’ve given them the tools and the resources to achieve them,” Lyons said.
The department has presented the plan to the public safety committee and held an open house. It is slated to present the plan to town council Nov. 19.
Cauley said they’re looking for public input on if they’re on the right track or missing anything.
The plan can be seen at and feedback can be sent to police@crgov.com.
Clayton Woullard: 303-954-2953, cwoullard@denverpost.com or
