Excluding the 109-weapon pointing / displays, Garner officers encountered at least 37,686 community member contacts through incident reports, calls for service, traffic stops, and arrests.
Incidents of force( 84) occurred in 0.22 % of the 37,686 community member contacts encountered with the public. Measured against 1140 arrests( NIBRS ARRESTS), incidents of force occurred 7.37 % of the time. Out of 84 use-of-force incidents, 26 suspects reported minor injuries.
Incidents of pointed weapons( 109) occurred in 0.27 % out of 37,686 encounters with the public. None of the encounters that resulted in weapon pointing injured the officers or suspects.
Biased-Based Policing Review
Garner Police Department policy 820.09, Bias-Free Policing, establishes our commitment to ensuring fair and equitable treatment of all people. The policy states,“ The Garner Police Department is committed to preserving the peace and maintaining order in our community by practicing bias-free policing and respecting the rights and dignity of all. No department member shall engage in bias-based profiling in arrests, asset seizure / forfeiture efforts, field contacts, or traffic stops.”
Each year the Garner Police Department reviews traffic stops and other areas where bias may be present. Although racial bias in law enforcement, as in other activities, cannot be eliminated, we are pleased to report that our analysis of 2024 traffic stops data and review of other related data did not indicate concerns of bias in our interactions with those we serve. The Garner Police Department received no complaints of a race-based arrest in 2024.
The Garner Police Department is committed to treating everyone with respect and dignity. Our thorough review of traffic stops data, use of force reviews, and complaint investigation practices ensures that we continue to police without bias or prejudice towards others.
Staffing Diversity
The Garner Police Department strives to hire employees representing our community. Recruiting efforts attempt to attract employees from diverse backgrounds of all races, ethnicities, and genders. The department experienced average employee turnover from retirements and other causes in 2024, but this turnover only slightly affected the overall employee profile. The chart on the right illustrates our yearending employee totals by race, gender, and ethnicity:
Note: Totals count sworn staff only and are based on 80 positions.
GARNER POLICE DEPARTMENT 2024 ANNUAL REPORT 23