The Batavia Police Department handled over 18,000 calls for service in 2024, with a continued focus on public safety, community engagement, protecting seniors and officer development.

Here are some key takeaways from the department’s annual report:

• Community engagement: Officers participated in numerous events like National Night Out, Coffee with a Cop, and Special Olympics fundraisers. The department added a full-time Community Relations Officer was added and introduced its first Comfort Dog, River, to support mental health and trauma response.

• Crime and traffic trends: Overall reported crimes dropped to 742 in 2024 from 856 in 2023 and over 1,000 in 2022. Property crimes like burglary and theft declined notably, though traffic accidents increased slightly, with 671 crashes reported — up from 651 the year before.

• Use of force incidents remain rare: Out of over 18,000 service calls, officers used force in just 17 incidents. All uses of force were reviewed and deemed compliant with policy and state standards.

• Training, equipment and recognition:The department prioritized officer training and safety upgrades, acquiring new Taser 7 devices and PepperBall launchers. The department also upgraded AEDs, with officers earning lifesaving awards for successful deployments.

Chief Shawn Mazza, who retired in January 2025 after 26 years with the department, was credited with championing many of these efforts and fostering a culture of service and trust.

Read the full annual report.

📖 Thanks for reading

Please feel free to reach out to [email protected] with questions or comments.

Not signed up yet? Subscribe here.