Pottstown Public Safety: A Decade of Data (2015-2025)

The Headlines

10 years of Pottstown public safety data in 8 numbers

Front-Porch Summary

Over the past decade, Part I crime has fallen 30.5%, burglaries have hit a 30-year low, and total crimes are at their lowest point on record. At the same time, calls for service have risen 21.2%. Crime fell 30.5% while calls rose 21.2% — these two numbers moved in opposite directions over the same period.

Pottstown is safer than it has been in over 30 years. Serious crime is down 30.5% since 2015. Total crimes (Part I and Part II combined) hit their lowest recorded level at 2,979 in 2025. Burglary is at a 30-year low. At the same time, demand on the police department increased 21.2%. The department responded to 29,220 calls for service while managing that increase with the same staffing level. 2026 is on pace for the second-lowest Part I total ever recorded.

-30.5%

Serious Crime (Part I)

1,543 (2015) to 1,072 (2025)
Near historic low

1,072

Part I Crimes (2025)

Near historic low
2026 on pace for ~1,013

-55.9%

Burglaries

118 (2015) to 52 (2025)
30-year low

-32.8%

Assaults

375 (2015) to 252 (2025)

+21.2%

Calls for Service

24,118 (2015) to 29,220 (2025)
+5,102 calls over the decade

46

Sworn Officers

Maintained across the decade

89.8%

Community Service Calls

of 2025 calls classified non-crime after response

-23.8%

Total Crimes (I+II)

3,909 (2015) to 2,979 (2025)
Lowest on record

Crime is down 30.5%. Demand is up 21.2%. 29,220 calls responded to. Full transparency on costs.

What Your Police Actually Do

29,220 calls in 2025 — up 21.2% from 2015

Front-Porch Summary

Calls for service rose 21.2% over the decade (24,118 to 29,220). The call categories that grew include welfare checks, noise concerns, suspicious activity, and situations classified as non-crime after response. In 2025, 26,241 of those 29,220 calls (89.8%) were classified as non-crime after officer response — medical emergencies, welfare checks, 911 hangups, building checks, accident investigations, and domestic disputes. The police department is the borough's only 24/7 service that goes anywhere and refuses no one. 911 and the police non-emergency line are currently the only channels available for non-emergency needs.

29,220 Calls for Service in 2025

26,241 Classified Non-Crime After Response (89.8%)

2,979 Crime-Related Calls (10.2%)

Where 29,220 Calls Flow (2025)

Total calls flow from left to right. Band height is proportional to volume. Non-crime community service calls dominate patrol operations.

A Typical Day in Pottstown (2025)

80

calls per day

72

classified non-crime

8

crime-related calls

~10

dispatches per officer (est.)

4

officers working per shift

(6 assigned, 4 after time off/FMLA/sick)

46

current sworn officers

(budgeted for 48)

1.97

officers per 1,000 residents

(nat'l avg: 2.4)

Domestic Disturbances at Decade Low: 976 in 2025, down 20.5% from 1,228 in 2015. Lowest since 1999. These are among the most resource-intensive and highest-risk calls officers respond to.

The "Other CFS" category: 17,683 calls (60.5% of all calls for service). This single bucket includes medical assists, welfare checks, 911 hangups, building checks, and other community service responses. Each one requires an officer to respond, assess, and clear the scene.

Calls for Service Deep Dive

Total demand on the department vs. actual crime

Front-Porch Summary

Calls classified as non-crime after response rose from 83.8% to 89.8% of all CFS over the decade. Many of these calls require sworn officer response by statute or for scene safety; the non-crime classification is applied after the officer completes the response. The "Other CFS" category (medicals, welfare checks, 911 hangups, building checks) constitutes 60.5% of all calls by itself.

Year	Total CFS	Total Crimes	Non-Crime CFS	Crime %	Non-Crime %
2015	24,118	3,909	20,209	16.2%	83.8%
2016	24,350	3,730	20,620	15.3%	84.7%
2017	24,643	3,849	20,794	15.6%	84.4%
2018	23,522	3,264	20,258	13.9%	86.1%
2019	25,112	3,083	22,029	12.3%	87.7%
2020	25,317	2,966	22,351	11.7%	88.3%
2021	26,913	3,071	23,842	11.4%	88.6%
2022	27,185	2,941	24,244	10.8%	89.2%
2023	27,832	3,371	24,461	12.1%	87.9%
2024	28,511	3,091	25,420	10.8%	89.2%
2025	29,220	2,979	26,241	10.2%	89.8%

Key Finding

Non-crime calls rose by 6,032 over the decade (+29.8%). Crime-related calls dropped by 930 (-23.8%). The entire growth in demand is non-crime community service.

Call Type Volume Shifts: 2015 / 2020 / 2025

Other CFS dominates volume. Domestics fell 20.5%. False alarms fell 40.2%. Other Disturbances rose 11.4%.

Non-Crime CFS by Category (2015 vs. 2025)

Non-Crime Category	2015	2020	2025	10-Year Change
Other CFS (medicals, welfare, 911, bldg checks)	16,362	14,991	17,683	+1,321 (+8.1%)
Other Disturbances	1,898	2,303	2,114	+216 (+11.4%)
Domestic Disturbances	1,228	1,641	976	-252 (-20.5%)
Accident Investigations	827	728	865	+38 (+4.6%)
False Alarms	904	673	541	-363 (-40.2%)
Abandoned Vehicles	269	340	410	+141 (+52.4%)
Warrants Served	269	219	335	+66 (+24.5%)
Harassment	405	211	276	-129 (-31.9%)
Curfew / Runaways	102	102	107	+5 (+4.9%)

What Does Each Call for Service Actually Cost?

There are three honest ways to answer this question — each measures something different

Plain Language

When someone asks "what does a police call cost?", the answer depends on what you're measuring. Think of it like asking "what does it cost to drive to the grocery store?"

The gas for the trip — about $3. That's the direct cost of that one trip.
The gas plus wear and tear on the car — maybe $8-10. That's the cost of using the car.
Your total car cost (payment, insurance, gas, maintenance) divided by all your trips — maybe $30 per trip. That's your full cost of having a car.

None of these are wrong. They answer different questions. The same is true for police calls. Below are three real numbers, each from a verifiable source, each measuring something different.

$85

Direct Response Cost

What it measures: The cost of sending one officer to one call for one hour.

What's included: Officer's hourly wage ($57.97), fuel ($0.15/mi), vehicle operating cost ($15/hr), healthcare per hour ($12).

What's NOT included: Workers comp, retiree health, overtime, civilian staff, vehicles, equipment, training, supplies, or capital purchases.

Source: Chief of Police estimate, June 2026. He described this as "the basics" and noted it excluded workers comp and other expenses.

Like: The cost of gas for one trip.

$107

Time-Adjusted Cost

What it measures: The share of the police budget that goes to answering calls, based on how much officer time calls actually consume.

How it's calculated: The Chief estimates each call takes about 1 hour (varies by type). 29,220 calls × ~1 hour = ~29,220 officer-hours. 46 officers × 2,080 work hours/year = 95,680 total hours. Calls use an estimated 30.5% of officer time. 30.5% of $10,264,691 = $3,130,731. Divided by 29,220 calls = $107.

Note: This is a derived estimate. The 1-hour-per-call figure is the Chief's approximation; the 2,080-hour year is a standard that does not account for leave, training, or court absences. The actual percentage may be higher.

Like: Gas plus wear on the car for one trip.

$351

Full Department Cost

What it measures: The borough's total police budget divided by total calls. This is the full cost of having a police department, spread across its call workload.

How it's calculated: $10,264,691 (Categories 410 + 411 from the 2025 Adopted Budget) ÷ 29,220 calls = $351.

What's included: Everything — all wages, overtime, benefits, health insurance, retiree costs, vehicles, fuel, equipment, training, supplies, civilian staff. All 60+ budget line items.

What it shows: What the borough actually spends on policing per call handled.

Like: Your total car cost divided by all your trips.

Which Number Should You Use?

It depends on the question:

"How much does it cost to send an officer?" → $85 (direct response cost)
"How much of the police budget goes to answering calls?" → ~$107 (estimated time-adjusted cost — ~30.5% of the budget, based on Chief's ~1 hr/call estimate)
"What does the borough spend on policing per call?" → $351 (full department cost)

All three are calculated from verifiable data: the Chief's hourly cost estimate (June 2026), PPD's call count (29,220), and the 2025 Adopted Budget ($10,264,691). No number in this section is estimated, assumed, or taken from a national average.

The Numbers Behind Each Figure

Data Point	Value	Source
Total Police Budget (410 + 411)	$10,264,691	2025 Adopted Budget (12/9/2024)
Sworn Officer Budget (410 only)	$9,072,117	2025 Adopted Budget (12/9/2024)
Total Calls for Service (2025)	29,220	PPD 2025 UCR annual report
Sworn Officers	46	PPD staffing records
Average Time Per Call	~1 hour	Chief of Police estimate (June 2026)
Standard Work Hours Per Officer/Year	2,080	Standard (40 hrs × 52 weeks)
Total Officer-Hours Available	95,680	46 officers × 2,080 hours
Officer-Hours on Dispatched Calls	29,220	29,220 calls × ~1 hour each
Estimated % of Officer Time on Calls	~30.5%	29,220 / 95,680 (derived estimate — see note below)
Estimated % on Other Duties	~69.5%	Patrols, investigations, court, training, community policing
Population	23,400	2020 Census
Cost Per Resident	$439	$10,264,691 / 23,400

Estimated Time Allocation

An estimated 30.5% of officer time is spent on dispatched calls.
The remaining ~69.5% covers all other police duties.

Important: This is a derived estimate, not a measured figure. It is based on the Chief's approximation of ~1 hour per call (which he noted varies by call type) and a standard 2,080-hour work year (which does not account for vacation, sick leave, FMLA, or training absences). If actual available hours are lower than 2,080, the percentage of time on calls would be higher. Precise time allocation would require CAD dispatch data.

The other duties include: patrols, follow-up investigations, court appearances, report writing, training, community policing, and administration. These activities do not generate a "call" in the dispatch system.

Budget Exclusions (Conservative)

This report excludes three police-related budget categories to keep the methodology clean:

Police Pension MMO (Category 483): $2,051,787 — obligation to retired officers, not active policing
Law Enforcement Insurance (Category 486): $113,337
Crossing Guard Expenses (Category 480): $218,925 — school safety, not call response

Including all three would raise the full department cost to $433 per call.

Three ways to measure cost per call: $85 (direct response), ~$107 (estimated time-adjusted), $351 (full department). $85 and $351 are from verifiable Pottstown data. $107 is derived from the Chief's ~1 hr/call estimate.

Where Every Dollar Goes: Full Budget Breakdown

Complete line-item detail from the 2025 Adopted Budget — Categories 410 & 411

Plain Language

The police budget has five components: Compensation (70.3%), Benefits (20.5%), Fleet & Capital (5.5%), Operations (2.2%), and Supplies (1.5%). Compensation dominates because policing is a people business — a domestic violence response and a welfare check both require a trained officer on scene.

Category	Amount	% of Total	Cost Per Call
Compensation (Wages, OT, Longevity, Differentials)	$7,219,417	70.3%	$247.07
Benefits & Payroll Taxes (Medical, FICA, Workers Comp, Retiree)	$2,099,374	20.5%	$71.85
Fleet, Maintenance & Capital (Vehicles, Fuel, Equipment)	$564,500	5.5%	$19.32
Operations, Training & Services	$225,200	2.2%	$7.71
Supplies & Equipment (Uniforms, Lab, Range, Office)	$156,200	1.5%	$5.35
TOTAL POLICE DEPARTMENT BUDGET	$10,264,691	100.0%	$351.29

Compensation: $7,219,417 (70.3%)

Line Item	Description	Amount
410. POLICE - UNIFORMED
01.410.110	Police Uniformed Wages	$5,274,308
01.410.173	Police OT - Read Off	$35,000
01.410.175	Police Education Bonus	$33,000
01.410.176	Police Residency Bonus	$2,000
01.410.177	Police Uniform Allowance	$7,750
01.410.178	Police Longevity	$194,000
01.410.180	Overtime - Police Regular	$245,000
01.410.181	Police OT - DJ Court Time	$110,000
01.410.184	Employee Wellness Program	$14,500
01.410.185	Police - Unused Vacation Pay	$220,000
01.410.187	Police - Shift Differential	$33,000
01.410.188	OT - Grant Reimb Wages In House	$140,000
Subtotal: Uniformed Compensation		$6,308,558
411. POLICE - CIVILIAN
01.411.110	Police Civilian Wages	$879,359
01.411.180	Police Civilian - Overtime	$25,000
01.411.184	Employee Wellness Program	$500
01.411.187	Police Civilian - Shift Differential	$6,000
Subtotal: Civilian Compensation		$910,859
TOTAL COMPENSATION		$7,219,417

Benefits & Payroll Taxes: $2,099,374 (20.5%)

Line Item	Description	Amount
410. POLICE - UNIFORMED
01.410.192	FICA Tax	$79,800
01.410.195	Workers Comp. Exp.	$202,771
01.410.196	Medical/RX/Dental/Vision	$892,713
01.410.197	Retiree Health & Medicare	$636,000
01.410.198	Police - Life, AD&D, STD	$11,975
01.410.199	Retiree - Life, AD&D, STD	$900
Subtotal: Uniformed Benefits		$1,824,159
411. POLICE - CIVILIAN
01.411.192	FICA Tax	$68,610
01.411.195	Workers Comp. Exp.	$1,053
01.411.196	Medical/RX/Dental/Vision	$201,942
01.411.198	Civilian - Life, AD&D, STD	$3,610
Subtotal: Civilian Benefits		$275,215
TOTAL BENEFITS & PAYROLL TAXES		$2,099,374

Fleet, Maintenance & Capital: $564,500 (5.5%)

Line Item	Description	Amount
01.410.231	Vehicle Fuel - Gasoline	$78,000
01.410.251	Vehicle Parts & Repairs	$48,000
01.410.252	Vehicle Radio Maintenance	$2,000
01.410.253	Vehicle VASCAR Maintenance	$8,000
01.410.254	Vehicle Washes	$2,500
01.410.255	Bike Maintenance/Repairs	$2,000
01.410.260	Small Tools/Minor Equipment	$24,000
01.410.266	Police Special Maint Contracts	$140,000
01.410.374	Repairs - Mach. & Equipment	$25,000
01.410.740	Capital Purchase - Major	$235,000
01.410.750	Capital Purchase - Minor	$0
TOTAL FLEET, MAINTENANCE & CAPITAL		$564,500

Operations, Training & Services: $225,200 (2.2%)

Line Item	Description	Amount
01.410.300	Professional Services	$7,500
01.410.301	DUI Chemical Testing	$6,000
01.410.302	Cell Phone Investigations	$3,000
01.410.307	Civil Service Expenses	$8,000
01.410.308	C-Mert Expenses	$4,500
01.410.309	ICE/Homeland Security	$73,000
01.410.321	Telephones	$35,000
01.410.324	Internet and Wireless	$7,000
01.410.325	Postage	$4,500
01.410.337	Automobile Allowance	$700
01.410.341	Advertising	$1,000
01.410.342	Printing/Binding	$10,000
01.410.361	Electric	$400
01.410.384	Equipment/Space Rental	$10,200
01.410.420	Dues, Licen, Subs, Memberships	$5,500
01.410.425	Meeting, Seminar, Conferences	$900
01.410.460	Continuing Education	$5,500
01.410.461	Depart. Training Exp. Police	$40,000
01.411.461	Police Civilian Dept. Training	$2,500
TOTAL OPERATIONS, TRAINING & SERVICES		$225,200

Supplies & Equipment: $156,200 (1.5%)

Line Item	Description	Amount
01.410.210	Office Supplies	$31,000
01.410.211	Copier Usage Shared Costs	$10,000
01.410.225	Laboratory Supplies	$6,200
01.410.226	Photography/Film Processing	$600
01.410.227	Animal Control	$20,000
01.410.229	Food for Human Consumption	$1,900
01.410.237	Rifle Range Supplies	$26,000
01.410.240	Clothing/Uniforms - Police	$40,000
01.410.241	General Governmental Supplies	$16,500
01.411.238	Clothing/Uniforms - Civilian	$4,000
TOTAL SUPPLIES & EQUIPMENT		$156,200

Verification

Sub Total 410. POLICE - Uniformed: $9,072,117
Sub Total 411. POLICE - Civilian: $1,192,574
Combined: $10,264,691

These subtotals appear on pages 8-9 of the 2025 Adopted Budget Report. Anyone can verify them.

What This Excludes (Conservative)

01.483.197 Police Pension MMO: $2,051,787
01.486.355 Law Enforcement Insurance: $113,337
01.480.600 Crossing Guard Exp.: $218,925

Including these would raise the total to $12,648,740 and cost per call to $433. We excluded them to keep the methodology clean and conservative.

Transparency Note: Category 411 Staffing Composition

Category 411 Police-Civilian ($1,192,574) includes 14 positions: 8 Civilian Processing Officers (1-2 assigned per shift) who handle calls, complaints, dispatch, and prison transports; 1 Department Administrative Manager; 3 Records Office Specialists; 1 Detective Secretary; and 1 part-time Parking Enforcement Officer. The 8 processing officers rotate across shifts and are part of the call response chain. The remaining 5 full-time and 1 part-time positions are administrative — they handle records requests, department administration, and parking enforcement and do not respond to calls for service.

If only sworn officer costs (Category 410) are used: $9,072,117 ÷ 29,220 = $310 per call.
If the full department budget (410 + 411) is used: $10,264,691 ÷ 29,220 = $351 per call.

This report uses the full department figure ($351) because the civilian processing officers are integral to call handling. The $310 figure represents the sworn-officer-only cost.

Category 410 + Category 411 = $10,264,691 ÷ 29,220 CFS = $351 per call. Sworn officers only (410): $310 per call. Verified against adopted budget.

Police as a Share of Total Borough Spending

Context: how police spending compares to the total general fund

Plain Language

The 2025 General Fund total expenditure is $17,159,383. Police (410 + 411) at $10,264,691 represents 59.8% of the general fund. Police is the largest single expenditure in the general fund.

410+411 Police

$10,264,691 (59.8%)

$10,264,691

483 Pension Benefits

$2,788,841

414 Licensing/Insp.

$1,096,790

430 Public Works

$738,516

All Other Depts

$2,270,545

Police Budget Growth vs. Demand Growth (2022-2025)

Is the budget keeping pace with rising call volume?

Front-Porch Summary

The police budget grew from $7.01M (2022 actual expenditure) to $10.26M (2025 adopted) — a 46.3% increase over three years. Over roughly the same period, calls for service rose from 27,185 (2022) to 29,220 (2025) — a 7.5% increase. The budget grew six times faster than demand. Most of the budget growth is in benefits: Medical/RX/Dental/Vision for uniformed officers rose from $745,585 (2022 actual) to $892,713 (2025 adopted), a 19.7% increase. Retiree Health & Medicare was not separately budgeted in 2022 but appears at $636,000 in 2025. Workers Compensation rose from $106,359 to $202,771 (90.7%). These are contractual and market-driven cost increases, not discretionary spending decisions.

Metric	2022 Actual	2023 Adopted	2024 Adopted	2025 Adopted
410: Police - Uniformed	$6,168,454	$8,097,622	$8,652,655	$9,072,117
411: Police - Civilian	$846,171	$1,122,879	$1,199,408	$1,192,574
Total Police Budget	$7,014,625	$9,220,501	$9,852,063	$10,264,691
Total CFS	27,185	27,832	28,511	29,220
Cost Per Call	$258	$331	$346	$351
Sworn Officers	46	46	47	46
Part I Crimes	1,101	1,281	1,089	1,072
Budget Growth (from 2022)	—	+31.4%	+40.4%	+46.3%
CFS Growth (from 2022)	—	+2.4%	+4.9%	+7.5%

Why the Budget Grew Faster Than Demand

The gap between 46.3% budget growth and 7.5% CFS growth is driven almost entirely by benefits and contractual obligations — not by adding officers or expanding services. Key cost drivers:

Medical/RX/Dental: $745,585 (2022) → $892,713 (2025) = +19.7%
Workers Comp: $106,359 → $202,771 = +90.7%
Retiree Health: Not separately budgeted (2022) → $636,000 (2025)
Uniformed Wages: $3,629,763 → $5,274,308 = +45.3% (reflects contractual step increases, not headcount growth)

Staffing remained at 46 throughout. The budget grew because the cost of employing 46 officers increased, not because the department expanded.

Cost Per Call Trend

The cost per call rose from $258 (2022) to $351 (2025), a 36% increase. Over the same period, calls rose 7.5% while the budget rose 46.3%. The budget growth is concentrated in benefits and contractual obligations: Medical/RX rose 19.7%, Workers Comp rose 90.7%, and uniformed wages rose 45.3% (reflecting contractual step increases at the same headcount of 46). Staffing did not increase. Any peer borough comparison should account for whether the same benefit categories are included.

Per-Officer Workload

46 officers handled 29,220 calls in 2025 (635 per officer), up from 24,118 in 2015 (524 per officer)

Front-Porch Summary

Each officer handled 524 total calls in 2015. In 2025, that number is 635. The crime workload per officer dropped 24% (85 to 65 crimes/officer), but the non-crime workload rose 30% (439 to 570 community service calls/officer). The net result: each officer handles 21% more total work, nearly all of it non-crime community service.

Year	Officers	Total CFS	CFS/Officer	Crimes/Off.	Non-Crime/Off.
2015	46	24,118	524	85	439
2016	46	24,350	529	81	448
2017	46	24,643	536	84	452
2018	46	23,522	511	71	440
2019	46	25,112	546	67	479
2020	44	25,317	575	67	508
2021	45	26,913	598	68	530
2022	46	27,185	591	64	527
2023	47	27,832	592	72	520
2024	47	28,511	607	66	541
2025	46	29,220	635	65	570

Crime Workload

85 crimes/officer (2015) to 65/officer (2025). Down 24%.

Non-Crime Workload

439 community service calls/officer (2015) to 570/officer (2025). Up 30%.

Total Workload

524 total calls/officer (2015) to 635/officer (2025). Up 21.2%.

How 46 Officers Become 4 Per Shift

46 sworn officers are divided across 4 squads of approximately 11-12 each. Each squad has a sergeant, and the department assigns officers to specialized roles (detectives, K-9, school resource). On any given shift, after accounting for FMLA, sick leave, vacation, court appearances, and training, 4-6 officers are available for patrol. This is how shift-based policing works with squad rotations. The department's recommendation to reach the budgeted 48 officers would improve working strength by adding capacity to each squad rotation.

80 calls/day | ~40 calls per 12-hour shift | 4 officers working per shift | ~10 dispatches per officer per shift (est.)

Dispatched Calls vs. Officer-Initiated Activity

Dispatched calls rose 21.2%. Staffing stayed the same. Here is what changed.

Front-Porch Summary

Calls for service rose to 29,220 in 2025, up 21.2% from 24,118 in 2015. Dispatched calls per officer rose from 524 to 635 per year (+21.2%). Over the same period, traffic citations went from 3,438 to 1,496, DUI arrests from 107 to 18, and drug arrests from 476 to 249. All three are officer-initiated activities that occur during hours not committed to dispatched calls.

Enforcement Metric	2015	2025	Change	% Change
Traffic Citations	3,438	1,496	-1,942	-56.5%
DUI Arrests	107	18	-89	-83.2%
Drug Arrests	476	249	-227	-47.7%
Total Arrests	2,687	1,789	-898	-33.4%
Parking Citations	1,459	4,215	+2,756	+188.8%

DUI Enforcement (-83.2%)

107 DUI arrests in 2015. 18 in 2025. Over the same period, dispatched calls per officer rose from 524 to 635 per year (+21.2%). DUI patrols are officer-initiated — they occur during hours not committed to dispatched calls.

Traffic Citations (-56.5%)

3,438 traffic citations in 2015. 1,496 in 2025. Traffic stops are officer-initiated activity that occurs during hours not committed to dispatched calls. As dispatched call hours per shift increased, officer-initiated activity hours decreased. May 2026 data: 126 citations vs. 89 in May 2025 (+41.6%).

Drug Arrests (-47.7%)

476 drug arrests in 2015. 249 in 2025. Two factors are documented: (1) Pennsylvania's statewide policy shift toward treatment-based approaches for substance abuse, and (2) drug interdiction is officer-initiated activity that occurs during hours not committed to dispatched calls. Dispatched calls per officer rose from 524 to 635 per year (+21.2%) over the same period.

Parking Citations +188.8% (1,459 to 4,215): Parking enforcement is conducted on foot during fixed patrol beats and between dispatched calls. Unlike traffic stops or DUI patrols, it does not require extended uninterrupted patrol time. The increase also correlates with downtown commercial growth and expanded metered zones.

Per-Officer Dispatched Call Growth

2015

Total CFS:24,118

Sworn officers:46

CFS per officer per year:524

Daily CFS (24,118 / 365):66.1 calls

Per shift (4 officers working):~8.3 dispatches/officer (est.)

2025

Total CFS:29,220

Sworn officers:46

CFS per officer per year:635

Daily CFS (29,220 / 365):80.1 calls

Per shift (4 officers working):~10 dispatches/officer (est.)

The Verifiable Fact

Dispatched calls per officer rose from 524 to 635 per year (+21.2%). Traffic stops, DUI patrols, and drug interdiction are officer-initiated activities that occur during hours not committed to dispatched calls. As dispatched calls per officer increased, officer-initiated activity declined across all three categories.

Arrest-to-Crime Ratio

Why arrests dropped 33.4% when crime dropped 23.8%

Front-Porch Summary

Total arrests dropped from 2,687 to 1,789 (a reduction of 898). Drug arrests account for 227 and DUI arrests account for 89. Combined, these two policy-driven and capacity-driven categories explain 316 of the 898 total reduction (35.2%). Remove them, and the remaining arrest reduction of 582 closely tracks the 930 reduction in total crime.

Factor	Arrest Reduction	% of Total	Contributing Factor (est.)
Drug Arrests	-227	25.3%	476 to 249. PA statewide policy shift toward treatment. Officer-initiated activity; occurs during non-dispatched hours.
DUI Arrests	-89	9.9%	107 to 18. Officer-initiated activity; occurs during hours not committed to dispatched calls. Dispatched calls per officer rose from 524 to 635 (+21.2%).
Policy + Capacity Driven	-316	35.2%	Policy shifts and capacity reallocation to dispatched calls
Remaining Reduction	-582	64.8%	Proportional to the 930-crime reduction in total offenses

Drug Policy Shift

Drug arrests declined statewide during this period, consistent with broader policy changes in PA toward treatment rather than arrest.

DUI Decline

107 in 2015. 18 in 2025. DUI patrols are officer-initiated activity conducted during hours not committed to dispatched calls. Dispatched calls per officer rose from 524 to 635 per year (+21.2%) over the decade.

Remaining Arrests Track Crime

Remove drug and DUI: remaining arrests dropped 582. Total crimes dropped 930. The arrest reduction (62.6%) is proportional to the crime reduction.

Decadal Trajectory: Part I Crimes

Year-by-year serious crime totals, 2015 to 2025 | CAGR: -3.6%/year

Front-Porch Summary

Serious crime declined every year from 2015 through 2020, rebounded slightly in 2021-2023, then fell again in 2024-2025. The 2023 spike coincided with a regional Hyundai/Kia motor vehicle theft wave that affected departments across the tri-county area — MV theft surged to 129 incidents. That wave peaked in 2023 and is already correcting in 2024-2025. Core crime categories continued declining through that period. The five-year average from 2020-2025 is 1,099 Part I crimes per year, a structurally lower level than any prior five-year period in the dataset.

Year	Part I Total	YoY Change	YoY %	vs 2015
2015	1,543			Baseline
2016	1,345	-198	-12.8%	-12.8%
2017	1,304	-41	-3.0%	-15.5%
2018	1,225	-79	-6.1%	-20.6%
2019	1,060	-165	-13.5%	-31.3%
2020	992	-68	-6.4%	-35.7%
2021	1,060	+68	+6.9%	-31.3%
2022	1,101	+41	+3.9%	-28.6%
2023	1,281	+180	+16.3%	-17.0%
2024	1,089	-192	-15.0%	-29.4%
2025	1,072	-17	-1.6%	-30.5%

Part I Crime Decline vs. Calls for Service Growth (2015-2025)

Crime fell 30.5% while calls for service rose 21.2%. The lines are moving in opposite directions.

2019 Step Change

Part I dropped below 1,100 for the first time in the dataset.

2023 Spike: Regional MV Theft Wave

Part I rose to 1,281. Part of a regional Hyundai/Kia theft wave affecting departments across the tri-county area. Peaked in 2023, already correcting in 2024-2025. Core categories continued declining.

Five-Year Consolidation

2020-2025 averaged 1,099 Part I crimes per year, lower than any prior five-year period in the dataset.

Category Spotlight: Part I Crimes

Every serious crime category, 2015 vs 2019 vs 2025

Front-Porch Summary

Seven of eight Part I categories declined or held steady. Only motor vehicle theft increased, part of a regional Hyundai/Kia theft wave affecting departments across the tri-county area. That wave peaked in 2023 at 129 incidents and is already correcting. Larceny-theft accounts for 337 of the 471 total Part I decline (72% of all gains).

Category	2015	2019	2025	10-Year Change	Assessment
Murder/Manslaughter	1	5	0	-1 (-100%)	Low-volume, volatile
Forcible Rape	22	30	22	0 (0.0%)	Stable, reporting may vary
Robbery	49	27	43	-6 (-12.2%)	Moderate decline
Assault	375	288	252	-123 (-32.8%)	Sustained decline
Burglary	118	108	52	-66 (-55.9%)	30-year low
Larceny-Theft	917	557	580	-337 (-36.7%)	Volume driver of decline
Motor Vehicle Theft	57	40	121	+64 (+112.3%)	Regional Hyundai/Kia wave; correcting
Arson	4	5	2	-2 (-50.0%)	Low-volume
TOTAL	1,543	1,060	1,072	-471 (-30.5%)	Sustained decline

Burglary: 30-Year Low (-55.9%)

118 to 52. The largest percentage decline among all Part I categories. 2026 on pace for record low (~36 annualized).

Larceny: Volume Driver (-36.7%)

917 to 580. This single category accounts for 337 of the 471 total Part I decline (72% of all gains).

MV Theft: Regional Wave, Correcting

Part of a regional Hyundai/Kia theft wave affecting departments across the tri-county area. Peaked at 129 in 2023. 2026 YTD pace of ~65 shows correction underway.

2026 Year-to-Date (January through May)

Early indicators for the current year

Front-Porch Summary

Through the first five months of 2026, Pottstown recorded 422 Part I crimes. Annualized, that pace (~1,013) would produce the second-lowest Part I total ever. Burglary is on pace for a record low. Motor vehicle theft is correcting sharply. Total crimes (I+II) at 1,120 through May, annualized ~2,688, would be the lowest on record.

Category	Jan-May 2026	Annualized	2025 Full Year	Projected Change
Murder	2	~5	0	Low-volume, volatile
Rape	8	~19	22	On pace for decline
Robbery	9	~22	43	Significant decline if sustained
Assault	103	~247	252	Tracking 2025 level
Burglary	15	~36	52	On pace for record low
Larceny-Theft	257	~617	580	Slight uptick (+6.4%)
MV Theft	27	~65	121	Correcting sharply (-46%)
Arson	1	~2	2	Stable
Part I Total	422	~1,013	1,072	On pace for 2nd lowest ever
Part II Total	698	~1,675	1,907	On pace for decline
Total Crime (I+II)	1,120	~2,688	2,979	Would be lowest on record

Burglary: Record-Low Pace

15 through May. Annualized ~36 would be the lowest in the full dataset.

MV Theft: Correcting

27 through May (annualized ~65). The regional Hyundai/Kia wave is subsiding. Down from 121 in 2025.

Robbery: Significant Decline

9 through May (annualized ~22). Would be the lowest robbery count in the full dataset going back to 1993.

May 2025 vs. May 2026

Source: PPD Monthly Borough Council Reports (Kevin Owens, Dept. Administrative Manager)

Front-Porch Summary

In May 2026, serious crime dropped 34.3% compared to May 2025. Aggravated assaults fell from 16 to 5. Burglary fell from 5 to 1. Motor vehicle theft fell from 13 to 5. Officers answered more calls (2,518 vs. 2,411, up 4.4%) and wrote 41.6% more traffic citations (126 vs. 89). All with 4 officers working per shift.

Operational Summary

Calls for Service

Metric	May 2025	May 2026	Change
Monthly CFS	2,411	2,518	+107 (+4.4%)
Daily Average	77.77	81.23	+3.46/day
Per 12hr Shift	38.89	40.62	+1.73/shift

Year-to-Date (Jan through May)

Metric	Jan-May 2025	Jan-May 2026	Change
Total CFS	11,509	12,110	+601 (+5.2%)
Daily Average	76.22	80.20	+3.98/day
Traffic Citations	89	126	+37 (+41.6%)

May Headline

Part I crime dropped 34.3%. Every major category declined. Officers handled 4.4% more calls and wrote 41.6% more traffic citations. Domestics dropped 102 to 93 (-8.8%).

Part I Crimes: May 2025 vs. May 2026

Category	May 2025	May 2026	Change	Assessment
Murder/Manslaughter	0	2	+2	Low-frequency; no trend from one month
Forcible Rape	3	1	-2	Down
Robbery	6	2	-4 (-67%)	Significant improvement
Aggravated Assault	16	5	-11 (-69%)	Major single-month improvement
Burglary	5	1	-4 (-80%)	Consistent with record-low pace
Theft	59	50	-9 (-15%)	Steady decline
Motor Vehicle Theft	13	5	-8 (-62%)	Regional wave correcting
Arson	0	1	+1	Low-frequency; no trend
PART I TOTAL	102	67	-35 (-34.3%)	Broad-based decline

Selected Part II and Service Activity

Declining

Category	May 2025	May 2026	Change
Domestic Disturbances	102	93	-9 (-8.8%)
False Alarms	44	36	-8 (-18.2%)
Harassment	34	27	-7 (-20.6%)
Narcotics Violations	23	19	-4 (-17.4%)

Increasing

Category	May 2025	May 2026	Change
Other Disturbances	205	234	+29 (+14.1%)
Misc Violations	13	20	+7 (+53.8%)
CFS Total	2,411	2,518	+107 (+4.4%)

Four Boroughs, One Story

Industrial towns with different economic profiles and crime rates

Front-Porch Summary

Four boroughs, all former industrial towns, with different economic profiles. Coatesville has the highest crime rate at 65-80 per 1,000 (est.) and the highest poverty rate (26.8%). Pottstown is at 45.8 with poverty at 17.5%. Norristown (county seat) is at 55-65 (est.) with poverty at 18.2%. Phoenixville is at 20-25 (est.) with poverty at 6.3% and median income of $102,000. Across all four boroughs, lower poverty and higher income correspond with lower crime rates.

Data Availability Disclaimer

This comparison uses publicly available information including adopted municipal budgets, U.S. Census data, and PA Uniform Crime Reporting statistics. Not all boroughs publish the same level of detail. Coatesville and Phoenixville do not publish annual police statistics at the level of detail that Pottstown and Norristown do. Where detailed reports are unavailable, figures are drawn from state-level UCR filings and published budget documents, which may not reflect current operational reality. For example, a borough may be budgeted for a specific number of officers but currently operate below that number due to vacancies, hiring timelines, or attrition. Published data represents what municipalities report — not necessarily what is happening on the ground at any given time. Pottstown's data in this report is verified directly from internal PPD records and line-item budget documents. Peer data should be understood as the best available public approximation.

Pottstown

Pop: 23,400 | Income: $61,000 | Poverty: 17.5%
Heritage: Bethlehem Steel / Mrs. Smith's

45.8

Part I per 1,000 residents

46 officers (1.97/1K)

$10.26M ($439/res)

Median income: $61,000

Poverty: 17.5%

Part I crime down 30.5% over 10 years. On pace for lowest crime totals on record in 2026.

Norristown

County Seat | Pop: 35,700 | Income: $56,000
Heritage: County government hub

55-65

Part I per 1,000 residents (est.)

72 officers (2.02/1K)

$16.3M ($456/res)

Median income: $56,000

Poverty: 18.2%

County seat with higher density and institutional demand. Lowest median income among peers. Spends $456/resident on policing.

Coatesville

Pop: 13,000 | Income: $47,000 | Poverty: 26.8%
Heritage: Lukens Steel

65-80

Part I per 1,000 residents (est.)

32 officers (2.47/1K)

$4.5M ($346/res)

Median income: $47,000

Poverty: 26.8%

Highest crime rate among peers. Smallest population. Highest poverty (26.8%). Lowest median income ($47,000).

Phoenixville

Pop: 18,600 | Income: $102,000 | Poverty: 6.3%
Heritage: Phoenix Steel

20-25

Part I per 1,000 residents (est.)

31 officers (1.67/1K)

$6.5M ($350/res)

Median income: $102,000

Poverty: 6.3%

Same industrial heritage. Lowest poverty (6.3%), highest income ($102,000), lowest crime rate (20-25 est.) among the four boroughs.

Per-Capita Crime Rate Comparison (Part I per 1,000 Residents)

All rates per 1,000 residents. Pottstown rate verified from UCR data. Peer rates estimated from PA UCR.

Four boroughs with industrial heritage. Lower poverty and higher income correspond with lower crime rates across all four.

Why Some Towns Have More Crime

Structural factors that drive demand for police services

Front-Porch Summary

Across all four boroughs, lower poverty and higher income correspond with lower crime rates. Higher poverty, lower income, higher vacancy, and lower educational attainment correlate with higher crime rates.

Pottstown

Poverty Rate:17.5%

Homeless Population:359 (Montgomery County PIT)

Housing Vacancy:~8%

Median Home Value:$195,000

College Degree (BA+):21%

Single-Parent Households:~35%

County Overdose Deaths:139 (Montco, 2023)

Median Household Income:$61,000

Part I Crime Rate:45.8 per 1,000

Phoenixville

Poverty Rate:6.3%

Homeless Population:~Functional zero

Housing Vacancy:~4%

Median Home Value:$370,000

College Degree (BA+):53%

Single-Parent Households:~28%

County Overdose Deaths:69 (Chester County, 2023)

Median Household Income:$102,000

Part I Crime Rate:~20-25 per 1,000

Budget Comparison

Borough	Police Budget	Budget/Resident	Officers	Off./1K	CFS/1K Res.
Pottstown	$10.26M	$439	46	1.97	1,241
Norristown	$16.3M	$456	72	2.02	N/A
Coatesville	$4.5M	$346	32	2.47	N/A
Phoenixville	$6.5M	$350	31	1.67	N/A

Note: Peer budgets may not include the same level of benefit detail as Pottstown's $10.26M figure. Pottstown handles 1,241 calls per 1,000 residents — far above average.

Full Structural Demand Comparison

Metric	Pottstown	Norristown	Coatesville	Phoenixville
Population	23,400	35,700	13,000	18,600
Sworn Officers	46	72	32	31
Officers per 1,000	1.97	2.02	2.47	1.67
Police Budget *	$10.26M	$16.36M†	$4.5M	$6.5M
Budget per Resident *	$439	$458†	$346	$350
Poverty Rate	17.5%	18.2%	26.8%	6.3%
Median Income	$61,000	$56,000	$47,000	$102,000
Median Home Value	$195,000	~$185,000	~$165,000	$370,000
Owner-Occupied	~48%	~38%	~42%	~62%
Vacancy Rate	~8%	~9%	~12%	~4%
College Degree (BA+)	21%	~18%	~15%	53%
Single-Parent HH	~35%	~40%	~38%	~28%
County Overdose Deaths	139	139	69	69
Homeless (PIT Count)	~359	~100+	~120	~Func. zero
Part I Crime Rate	45.8	55-65	65-80	20-25

* Pottstown budget = Categories 410+411, excludes pension ($2.05M in cat. 483). † Norristown budget = Category 410, includes pension ($2.67M) and crossing guides ($272K). Norristown verified from 2025 Adopted General Fund Budget. Coatesville and Phoenixville figures are from published municipal reports and may not include the same benefit categories. Direct budget-per-resident comparisons should account for these structural differences.

Demand Comparison

Pottstown's poverty rate (17.5%), vacancy rate (~8%), and single-parent household rate (~35%) are all higher than Phoenixville's (6.3%, ~4%, ~28%). Pottstown handles 1,241 CFS per 1,000 residents.

Budget Context

Pottstown: $439/resident (excludes pension). Norristown: $458/resident (includes pension). Coatesville and Phoenixville budget figures have not been verified at the same line-item level. See footnote on comparison table for structural differences.

Structural Correlation

Lower poverty, higher income, and lower vacancy correspond with lower crime rates across all four peer boroughs.

Common Questions, Data-Driven Answers

Seven frequently asked questions and the data that addresses each one

Front-Porch Summary

These seven questions represent the most common topics raised in council discussions. Each one has a specific, data-backed response grounded in the UCR dataset. None of these questions are unreasonable. All of them have verifiable answers.

Question 1: "Arrests are down 33.4%. Are officers not enforcing the law?"

"Crime dropped 23.8% but arrests dropped 33.4%. What explains the gap?"

What the Data Shows

Drug arrests dropped 227 (476 to 249), consistent with Pennsylvania's statewide shift toward treatment-based approaches. DUI arrests dropped 89 (107 to 18). Both are officer-initiated activities conducted during hours not committed to dispatched calls. Dispatched calls per officer rose from 524 to 635 per year (+21.2%) over the decade. These two categories account for 316 of the 898 total arrest reduction (35.2%). The remaining 582-arrest reduction is proportional to the 930-crime reduction in total offenses.

Question 2: "1.97 officers per 1,000 is adequate. We don't need more."

"Our ratio is fine for a borough this size."

What the Data Shows

The officer-to-resident ratio does not capture workload. Each officer handled 635 calls in 2025 (up 21% from 524 in 2015). 4 officers working per shift process approximately 40 calls per 12-hour shift (~10 per officer, est.). Reaching the budgeted 48 would improve working strength per shift, increasing non-dispatched hours available for officer-initiated activity.

Question 3: "Traffic citations are down 56.5%. Why aren't officers writing tickets?"

"DUI arrests dropped 83%. Where are the traffic patrols?"

What the Data Shows

Traffic stops are officer-initiated activity conducted during hours not committed to dispatched calls. Dispatched calls per officer rose from 524 to 635 per year (+21.2%). Over the same period, traffic citations went from 3,438 to 1,496. May 2026: 126 citations vs. 89 in May 2025 (+41.6%).

Question 4: "Crime is down. Can we reduce the police budget?"

"If crime dropped 30%, we can reduce spending proportionally."

What the Data Shows

Crime is down 30.5% while calls for service are up 21.2% (24,118 to 29,220). The increase includes welfare checks, noise concerns, and situations classified as non-crime after response. Pottstown handles 1,241 calls per 1,000 residents. The cost per call ($351) is the department's full adopted budget divided by its actual workload. Both numbers are public record.

Question 5: "We spend $10.26M and still have 45.8 crimes per 1,000."

"Other boroughs spend less and have lower crime rates."

What the Data Shows

Phoenixville's estimated 20-25 rate corresponds with $102,000 median income, 6.3% poverty, and $370,000 home values. Pottstown's 45.8 rate corresponds with $61,000 income, 17.5% poverty, and $195,000 home values. Crime rates correlate with socioeconomic conditions across all four peer boroughs. Pottstown's rate has fallen 30.5% over the decade.

Question 6: "The department is budgeted for 48. Why only 46?"

"If we've approved 48 positions, why aren't they filled?"

What the Data Shows

Recruiting and retaining sworn officers is a statewide challenge. The department has never been able to reach 48. Currently at 46, with 6 assigned per squad but only 4 working per shift after time off, FMLA, and sick leave. Two additional officers would improve working shift strength and reduce per-officer dispatch load from ~10 to ~8 per shift (est.).

Question 7: "90% of calls are non-crime. Why send sworn officers?"

"If nine out of ten calls have nothing to do with crime, why not use civilians?"

What the Data Shows

"Non-crime" is a UCR classification describing the outcome, not the response requirement at dispatch. The majority of non-crime calls carry legal mandates or immediate safety risks requiring sworn officer response:

Non-Crime Category	2025	Sworn Required?	Reason
Other CFS (911 hangups, welfare, building checks)	17,683	Yes	911 hangups may be emergencies; welfare checks can discover crime scenes
Domestic Disturbances	976	Yes	PA law; highest escalation risk
Other Disturbances	2,114	Yes	Scene safety requires sworn authority
Accident Investigations	865	Yes	PA Title 75 mandate
Warrants Served	335	Yes	Sworn officers only, by law
False Alarms	541	Yes	Cannot distinguish from real emergency until arrival
Abandoned Vehicles	410	Yes	Officers must verify, tag, and initiate tow process per borough ordinance
Harassment	276	Often	Threats, stalking, protective orders

Realistic divertable portion: approximately 10-15% of non-crime calls. The floor on sworn staffing is set by PA law, response time requirements, and the safety profile of domestic, disturbance, and welfare calls.

Key point: "Non-crime" describes the UCR outcome classification, not the response requirement at time of dispatch.

Strategic Recommendations

Six data-driven actions for the next 3-5 years

Front-Porch Summary

These six recommendations follow directly from the data. Part I crime is down 30.5%. The department responded to 29,220 calls for service in 2025. The full budget is documented line by line. Calls for service rose 21.2% over the decade while 911 and the non-emergency line remain the only available channels for non-emergency needs.

1

Commission a Community Communications Task Force

Calls rose 21.2% over the decade, but 911 and the police non-emergency line are currently the only channels available. A task force should study: (1) How do comparable municipalities offer alternative communication channels for non-emergency needs (online reporting, 311 systems, community apps, social service referral lines)? (2) How can calls be triaged so that sworn officers respond to calls requiring a sworn response, while other calls are routed to the appropriate service? (3) What staffing or responsibility changes would align with the growth in community communication? This is not a study of what went wrong — it is planning for what comes next as call volume continues to rise. Not every call requires a sworn officer response, but today every call receives one because no alternative response tier exists. A welfare check, a noise complaint, and a burglary in progress all generate the same dispatch: an armed officer in a patrol car. That is the infrastructure gap.

2

Reach Budgeted Staffing (48 Officers)

The department is budgeted for 48 but has never reached that number. Currently at 46. Each additional officer improves working shift strength beyond the current 4 per shift. Recruiting and retention strategies are the immediate priority.

3

Motor Vehicle Theft: Continue Regional Coordination

MV theft was the one Part I category that increased (+112.3%), part of a regional Hyundai/Kia theft wave affecting departments across the tri-county area. 2026 data shows correction underway (annualized ~65 vs. 121 in 2025). Continue manufacturer recall/patch compliance, targeted awareness campaigns, and regional task force coordination.

4

Domestic Violence Investment

Domestic disturbances at 976 (lowest since 1999) but still represent 3.3% of all CFS and are among the most resource-intensive calls. Continue crisis intervention, victim services, and housing stability programs.

5

Increase Officer-Initiated Activity

Dispatched calls per officer rose from 524 to 635 per year (+21.2%). Traffic stops, DUI patrols, and drug interdiction are officer-initiated activities that declined as dispatched call volume increased. Reaching budgeted 48-officer staffing is the primary lever. May 2026 data: traffic citations at 126 vs. 89 in May 2025 (+41.6%).

6

Continue Economic Development

Crime rates and economic indicators correlate across all four peer boroughs in the comparison. Downtown occupancy, housing investment, commercial corridor development, and income growth are the structural factors that correspond with lower crime rates in the peer data.

Appendix: Ward-Level Call Distribution (2017-2025)

Data from separately presented ward-level analysis — incorporated here for completeness

Front-Porch Summary

A separate ward-level analysis of police calls was presented to council covering January 2017 through May 2026. While this report has addressed methodological concerns with that analysis's cost calculations, the underlying ward-level call data is a useful contribution to understanding geographic demand patterns. The data below is sourced from that analysis. Note: The ward-level totals (26,931 for 2025) are 2,289 calls lower than PPD's official annual total (29,220), suggesting some calls are not assigned to wards in the dispatch system.

Ward	2017	2025	Change	% Change	Trend
Ward 2	6,223	8,032	+1,809	+29.1%	Highest volume; summer 2025 spike
Ward 3	5,566	5,680	+114	+2.0%	Peaked 2021, now stable
Ward 1	5,036	5,218	+182	+3.6%	Stable, predictable baseline
Ward 6	2,725	3,951	+1,226	+45.0%	Fastest-growing by percentage
Ward 4	2,106	2,255	+149	+7.1%	Stable; slight 2026 elevation
Ward 5	1,648	2,078	+430	+26.1%	Gradual increase
Ward 7	1,200	~1,600	+400	+33.3%	Lowest volume; creeping up
Total (ward sum)	24,504	~28,814	+4,310	+17.6%

What This Data Supports

The ward-level data reinforces the recommendation for a Community Communications Task Force. Ward 2 and Ward 6 show distinct growth patterns that may benefit from targeted communication strategies — localized non-emergency reporting tools, community liaison programs, or social service referral systems specific to the types of calls each ward generates. Understanding not just how many calls each ward generates but what types of calls would be the logical next step for the task force to study.

References Appendix

Data sources cited in this analysis

Primary Data Source

Pottstown Police Department UCR 10-Year Dataset (May 2026 STATS - UCR - PPD - 10 YR.xlsx). Spreadsheet tabs cited: "UCR 2015" through "UCR 2025", "UCR 2026", "CFS-Pt1-Pt2", "PPD Stats", "UCR Comp", "Part I Comp", "Part II Comp".
PPD Monthly Borough Council Reports, May 2025 and May 2026. Source: Kevin Owens, Department Administrative Manager.

Budget Data

Borough of Pottstown 2025 Adopted Budget, adopted 12/9/2024. Fund 01 General Fund. Categories 410 (Police-Uniformed) and 411 (Police-Civilian). Sub Total Expenditure: $17,159,383. Police total: $10,264,691.

Census and Demographic Data

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. Tables cited:
- B19013: Median Household Income
- S1701: Poverty Status in the Past 12 Months
- DP04: Selected Housing Characteristics (vacancy, owner-occupied, home values)
- S1501: Educational Attainment
- B09002: Children by Presence and Type of Parent
2020 Decennial Census. Population figures for Pottstown (23,400), Norristown (35,700), Coatesville (13,000), Phoenixville (18,600).

State and Federal Crime Data

Pennsylvania State Police, Uniform Crime Reporting System (UCRS). Peer borough crime statistics.
FBI Uniform Crime Report (UCR) / NIBRS. National officer-to-population ratios and per-capita crime benchmarks.

Other Sources

Montgomery County Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count, 2023. Homeless population: 359.
Chester County Point-in-Time (PIT) Homeless Count, 2023.
PA Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs. County overdose deaths (Montgomery: 139, Chester: 69, 2023).
Municipal budget documents. Police budgets: Pottstown ($10.26M, 410+411 from 2025 Adopted Budget), Norristown ($16.3M), Coatesville ($4.5M), Phoenixville ($6.5M). Note: Peer borough figures may not include the same benefit categories as Pottstown's full department budget.

Methodological Notes

All per-capita crime rates use per 1,000 residents. Pottstown rate: 1,072 / 23.4 = 45.8.
Peer borough Part I rates estimated from PA UCR data. Ranges used where exact figures unavailable.
CAGR: (1072/1543)^(1/10) - 1 = -3.6%.
Non-crime CFS = Total CFS minus Total Crimes (Part I + Part II).
2026 annualized projections assume Jan-May pace continues. These are projections, not forecasts.
Tilde (~) prefix indicates estimated values. No estimated values are presented as verified.
Cost per call: $10,264,691 (410+411) / 29,220 CFS = $351.29. Excludes pension (483), insurance (486), and crossing guards (480).

Verified Peer Comparison: Pottstown vs. Norristown

Both budgets sourced from adopted municipal budget documents — same methodology, same level of detail

Front-Porch Summary

Norristown is Pottstown's closest peer: both are Montgomery County boroughs with similar poverty rates, industrial heritage, and demographic profiles. Norristown's 2025 police budget ($16,360,684) is verified from their adopted General Fund Budget. Unlike Coatesville and Phoenixville — where budget figures have not been verified at the line-item level — this comparison uses the same methodology for both boroughs. One important structural difference: Norristown includes police pension ($2,668,339) inside its department budget. Pottstown accounts for pension separately in category 483 ($2,051,787). The comparison below shows both with and without pension for transparency.

Metric	Pottstown	Norristown	Source
Population	23,400	35,700	2020 Census
Sworn Officers	46	72	Department records
Officers per 1,000 Residents	1.97	2.02	Calculated
Total CFS (2025)	29,220	40,966	Department records
CFS per 1,000 Residents	1,249	1,147	Calculated
CFS per Officer	635	569	Calculated
WITHOUT PENSION (Pottstown's standard methodology)
Police Budget (excl. pension)	$10,264,691	$13,692,345	Adopted budgets *
Cost per Call	$351	$334	Calculated
Cost per Resident	$439	$384	Calculated
WITH PENSION (Norristown's standard methodology)
Police Budget (incl. pension)	$12,316,478	$16,360,684	Adopted budgets
Cost per Call	$422	$399	Calculated
Cost per Resident	$526	$458	Calculated
KEY STRUCTURAL DIFFERENCES
Poverty Rate	17.5%	18.2%	ACS 5-Year
Median Income	$61,000	$56,000	ACS 5-Year
Part I Crime Rate (per 1,000)	45.8	55-65 (est.)	PPD UCR / PA UCR est.

* Norristown excl. pension: $16,360,684 total minus $2,668,339 (line 410/481000 Police Pension Fund Act) = $13,692,345. Pottstown incl. pension: $10,264,691 + $2,051,787 (category 483.197) = $12,316,478. Norristown budget also includes dispatchers ($269,852), parking violations staff ($178,268), and crossing guides ($271,510) within category 410. Pottstown accounts for crossing guards in category 480 ($218,925).

Pottstown Officers Handle More Calls

Each Pottstown officer handles 635 calls per year vs. Norristown's 569 — 11.6% more per officer. Pottstown also generates more calls per capita (1,249 vs. 1,147 per 1,000 residents). With fewer officers handling more calls per capita, Pottstown's per-officer workload is materially higher than its closest verified peer.

Cost Per Call Is Comparable

Using the same methodology (excluding pension): Pottstown is $351/call, Norristown is $334/call — a $17 difference (5%). Including pension: Pottstown is $422, Norristown is $399 — a $23 difference (5.7%). Neither borough is dramatically more or less expensive than the other. The cost per call is within normal variation for Montgomery County boroughs with similar demographics.

Two Montgomery County boroughs. Verified budgets. Comparable costs. Pottstown officers handle 11.6% more calls per officer.

A Note on Alternative Cost-Per-Call Calculations

When different analyses produce different numbers, the methodology determines which one is verifiable

Plain Language

A separate analysis of Pottstown police calls was presented using a cost of $85.15 per call. This report uses $351.29 per call. These are not competing answers to the same question — they are answers to two different questions. The $85.15 figure is a direct response cost estimate provided by the Chief of Police: the hourly cost of one officer responding to one call. The $351.29 figure is the full department cost: the entire adopted police budget divided by total calls. Both are legitimate metrics. They measure different things. The distinction matters for how they are applied.

Two Metrics, Two Questions

Element	Direct Response Cost ($85.15)	Full Department Cost ($351.29)
What it measures	The hourly cost of sending one officer to one call	The total cost of operating the police department per call
Source	Chief of Police estimate (June 2026)	2025 Adopted Budget, Categories 410 + 411
Components included	Officer hourly wage ($57.97), fuel ($0.15/mi), vehicle operating cost ($15/hr), healthcare per hour ($12)	All 60+ line items: wages, overtime, longevity, FICA, workers comp, medical/dental/vision, retiree health, supplies, vehicles, equipment, training, capital purchases, civilian staff
Components excluded	Workers comp, retiree health, FICA, overtime, civilian staff, equipment, training, capital purchases, all operational costs	Pension (cat. 483), law enforcement insurance (cat. 486), crossing guards (cat. 480)
What question it answers	"What does it cost to send a car to a call?"	"What does the borough spend on policing per call?"
Appropriate use	Estimating the marginal cost of an additional call	Municipal budget analysis, total cost of service

The Chief's Calculation (Direct Response Cost)

The Chief of Police provided the following estimate in response to a council member's request (June 25, 2026). He described it as "the basics" and noted he did not have figures for workers compensation insurance or other expenses:

Component	Amount	Source
Average officer hourly rate (2026)	$57.97	PPD payroll
Average fuel cost per mile	$0.15	Chief's estimate
Vehicle hourly operational cost	$15.00	U.S. average (emergency vs. normal)
Healthcare per officer per hour ($25,000/yr ÷ 2,080 hrs)	$12.00	Calculated from annual benefit cost
Direct Response Cost Per Call-Hour	$85.12	Rounded to $85.15

The Chief also estimated that each call takes approximately one hour of an officer's time — including travel to the call, time on scene, return to the station, and report writing. He noted this can be more or less depending on call type, whether an arrest was made, and whether transport was required.

What the Direct Response Cost Excludes

The Chief's $85.15 covers four components. The adopted budget contains the full cost of operating the department. The difference — $266.14 per call — represents department costs that exist whether or not any individual call occurs:

Cost Category	2025 Budget Amount	In Chief's $85.15?
Base wages (included in hourly rate)	$5,274,308	Partial
Healthcare (included at $12/hr)	$892,713	Partial
Fuel (included at $0.15/mi)	$78,000	Partial
Workers Comp ($202,771)	$203,824	No
Retiree Health & Medicare	$636,900	No
FICA Tax	$148,410	No
Life/AD&D/STD Insurance	$16,485	No
All Overtime (regular, court, read-off, grant)	$530,000	No
Longevity, Shift Diff., Bonuses, Vacation Pay	$510,250	No
All Civilian Staff (Category 411)	$1,192,574	No
Vehicles, Equipment, Capital, Training, Supplies, Operations	$781,227	No
Full Department Budget (410 + 411)	$10,264,691	4 of 11 categories

How the Alternative Analysis Applied This Number

The separately presented ward-level analysis multiplied the Chief's direct response cost ($85.15) by total annual call volumes to calculate "economic impact" per ward and per year. This application treats the direct response cost as if it were the full cost of policing. The Chief's estimate covers four cost components. The adopted budget contains eleven. The resulting dollar figures capture approximately 24% of the actual department cost:

Metric	At $85.15/call (direct response)	At $351.29/call (full department)
2025 total (26,931 calls)	$2,293,174	$9,457,422
Ward 2 (8,032 calls, 2025)	$683,924	$2,820,958
Days Inn spike (1,679 calls, Jul-Aug 2025)	$142,966	$589,515
2026 projected (27,770 calls)	$2,364,615	$9,752,245

Note: The ward-level analysis uses a CFS total of 26,931 for 2025. PPD's official annual total is 29,220. The 2,289-call difference (7.8%) is unaccounted for in the ward-level data.

Fixed Cost vs. Marginal Cost

The police budget is a fixed annual cost approved by Borough Council each December. It does not increase or decrease based on call volume. The same 46 officers, vehicles, equipment, and benefits cost $10,264,691 whether the department responds to 25,000 calls or 30,000 calls. The cost per call ($351.29) is a unit average — it describes how the fixed budget is distributed across actual workload. It is not a price per unit. The Chief's $85.15 is closer to a marginal cost — the approximate incremental cost of one additional response. Both are valid for their intended purpose. Neither should be used for the other's purpose.

What the Alternative Analysis Gets Right

Ward-Level Call Distribution

The ward-by-ward breakdown of call volume is a useful contribution. This report does not include ward-level data. Understanding which areas of the borough generate more calls — and what types of calls — is valuable for resource planning. The observation that Ward 6 is the fastest-growing ward by percentage (+45%) and that Ward 2 experienced a localized spike in summer 2025 are both data points worth investigating. These observations support the recommendation for a Community Communications Task Force that can study call patterns at the ward level and develop targeted response strategies.

Why No "Standard" Cost Per Call Exists

No standard national average is tracked by any central government agency or private body for the exact cost to answer, investigate, and close an individual 911 or non-emergency call. A uniform unit cost does not exist because tracking a single call from ring to resolution requires merging two entirely different public ledger systems that rarely connect financially:

1. The Intake Cost (Answering)

Emergency communication centers (Public Safety Answering Points, or PSAPs) are heavily decentralized and often run at the county or regional level. Their operations are largely funded by telecommunications surcharges. The FCC tracks fee collections — such as Pennsylvania's uniform $1.95 monthly phone bill surcharge — but audits technology upgrades, not the local labor cost per call.

2. The Response Cost (Investigating/Closing)

Once a dispatcher passes a call to local police, the financial tracking shifts entirely to municipal general funds. The cost to investigate or close a file depends on regional labor contracts, localized overhead, and response times. No two municipalities calculate this the same way.

What published research shows: National criminal justice research groups like the Vera Institute of Justice track macro-level metrics such as total police spending per resident — not event-level unit costs. When regional governments or independent consulting firms conduct specialized baseline audits, findings reveal massive local volatility: dispatch-only processing costs range from $12 to $90 per event. Full field response costs (including officer wages, vehicle wear, scene time, and report filing) range from $90 to $500+ per dispatched call. The Chief's $85.15 estimate falls within the dispatch-only range. The full department cost of $351.29 falls within the full field response range. Both are consistent with published audit findings.

What Cost Per Call Does Not Measure

Cost per call divides the police budget by dispatched calls for service only. It does not capture the significant portion of police work that is never initiated by a call:

Activity	Counted in CFS?	Note
Dispatched calls (911, non-emergency)	Yes	The 29,220 calls in the denominator
Routine patrols	No	Visible deterrence; not dispatched
Follow-up investigations	No	Hours spent after initial response
Court appearances and testimony	No	Required for prosecution
Report writing and evidence processing	No	Administrative work per case
Community policing	No	Beats, school visits, business contacts
Ad-hoc citizen interactions	No	Walk-ins, flagdowns
Self-initiated contacts	No	Officer-initiated, no dispatch record
Warrant service	No	Court-ordered
Training	No	State-mandated and departmental

A Note on AI-Generated Analysis

The alternative report contains LaTeX formatting artifacts (\times, \mathbf) visible in the printed document. These indicate the text was generated by an AI language model and printed without formatting review. The ward-level call data is useful regardless of how it was formatted. However, the financial calculations built on that data used the Chief's direct response cost ($85.15) as if it were the full department cost ($351.29). The Chief's email explicitly noted his estimate was incomplete. That caveat did not carry through to the final analysis.

$85.15 = direct response cost (Chief's estimate, 4 components). $351.29 = full department cost (adopted budget, 60+ line items). Both are real. They measure different things.

Pottstown Public Safety

The Headlines

What Your Police Do Every Day

What Your Police Actually Do

A Typical Day in Pottstown (2025)

Calls for Service Deep Dive

Key Finding

Non-Crime CFS by Category (2015 vs. 2025)

What It Costs — Full Budget Transparency

What Does Each Call for Service Actually Cost?

The Numbers Behind Each Figure

Estimated Time Allocation

Budget Exclusions (Conservative)

Where Every Dollar Goes: Full Budget Breakdown

Compensation: $7,219,417 (70.3%)

Benefits & Payroll Taxes: $2,099,374 (20.5%)

Fleet, Maintenance & Capital: $564,500 (5.5%)

Operations, Training & Services: $225,200 (2.2%)

Supplies & Equipment: $156,200 (1.5%)

Verification

What This Excludes (Conservative)

Transparency Note: Category 411 Staffing Composition

Police as a Share of Total Borough Spending

Police Budget Growth vs. Demand Growth (2022-2025)

Why the Budget Grew Faster Than Demand

Cost Per Call Trend

The Capacity Equation

Per-Officer Workload

Crime Workload

Non-Crime Workload

Total Workload

How 46 Officers Become 4 Per Shift

Dispatched Calls vs. Officer-Initiated Activity

DUI Enforcement (-83.2%)

Traffic Citations (-56.5%)

Drug Arrests (-47.7%)

Per-Officer Dispatched Call Growth

2015

2025

The Verifiable Fact

Arrest-to-Crime Ratio

Drug Policy Shift

DUI Decline

Remaining Arrests Track Crime

Decadal Trajectory: Part I Crimes

2019 Step Change

2023 Spike: Regional MV Theft Wave

Five-Year Consolidation

Category Spotlight: Part I Crimes

Burglary: 30-Year Low (-55.9%)

Larceny: Volume Driver (-36.7%)

MV Theft: Regional Wave, Correcting

2026 Year-to-Date (January through May)

Burglary: Record-Low Pace

MV Theft: Correcting

Robbery: Significant Decline

May 2025 vs. May 2026

Operational Summary

Calls for Service

Year-to-Date (Jan through May)

May Headline

Part I Crimes: May 2025 vs. May 2026

Selected Part II and Service Activity

Declining

Increasing

How Pottstown Compares

Four Boroughs, One Story

Pottstown

Norristown

Coatesville

Phoenixville

Why Some Towns Have More Crime

Pottstown

Phoenixville

Budget Comparison

Full Structural Demand Comparison

Demand Comparison

Budget Context

Structural Correlation

Looking Forward