CARLSBAD — The Carlsbad Police Department is seeking additional staffing to address increasing call volumes, response times and new legislative mandates, according to a department update presented at Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
Police Chief Christie Calderwood outlined key challenges facing the department, including an expanding population, evolving crime trends and growing workload. She emphasized the department’s commitment to efficiency but noted that some operational changes were “no longer sustainable.”
“It is no secret that law enforcement has seen some rapid changes, both at many levels of government, and therefore face significant challenges over the last five years that have impacted our service level, our response times and our need to consistently adapt,” Calderwood told the council.
The update provided an in-depth look at staffing levels, workload trends and crime data. According to Calderwood, Carlsbad police handle approximately 100,000 calls for service annually and currently have 1.14 sworn officers per 1,000 residents, the fourth lowest ratio in the region. With an estimated 197,000 people in the city each day, including workers and visitors, Calderwood said the department is struggling to meet service demands.
She noted that calls for service increased 5.3% from 2022 to 2024, and officers spent an average of 2.48 minutes longer per call, adding up to 4,495 additional hours annually.
Assistant Police Chief Reed Shipley detailed the department’s staffing shortages, noting that over the past three years, 22% of sworn officers have been unavailable due to vacancies, injuries or other leave. While the department is budgeted for 132 sworn officers, only an average of 102.5 officers have been deployable at any given time.
Shipley said that despite recruitment improvements, the department faces personnel shortfalls, particularly in specialized units. The update identified six key positions needed in the 2025-26 budget cycle:
- Patrol Officers: To improve response times and maintain service levels.
- Traffic/Special Events Sergeant: To manage traffic enforcement and oversee the city’s more than 40 annual events, including the Carlsbad Marathon, which requires 42 officers to staff.
- Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Detective: To investigate child exploitation cases. The current detective has 74 active cases, exceeding the recommended 10-15 cases per month.
- Digital Forensic Specialist: To analyze digital evidence, a need exacerbated by the county forensic lab discontinuing cellphone evidence processing.
- Community Oriented Policing Team: To handle quality-of-life issues, such as business outreach and HOA meetings, which are currently staffed through officer overtime.
Council members expressed support for the department’s staffing requests, with Mayor Keith Blackburn advocating for immediate action.
“I think that it’s a responsibility of the council,” Blackburn said. “Once we’re made aware that the police department needs these extra people, I think we should act on it now.”
Councilmember Priya Bhat-Patel praised the chief for presenting the department’s needs ahead of budget discussions, while Councilmember Teresa Acosta requested a detailed cost breakdown before making a final decision. Councilmember Melanie Burkholder suggested evaluating the balance between adding sworn officers and specialized units.
After discussions, the council unanimously approved a motion directing City Manager Geoff Patnoe to return with an action plan and cost breakdown as soon as possible instead of waiting for the next budget cycle.
The city manager’s office is expected to return with the cost breakdown and final recommendations at an upcoming meeting.
“We are extremely fortunate to have a supportive community and an unbelievably supportive council, great training and the best equipment, among countless other positive characteristics that make up our police department,” Calderwood said. “We truly never take that for granted.”
