PISMO BEACH CITY COUNCIL STAF REPOR
Agenda Item #12.A
Meetin Date: October 20, 2026
TITLE:
Police Department Semi-Annual Update
RECOMMENDATION:
Receive Police Department Semi-Annual Update.
DISCUSSION:
The Pismo Beach Police Department provides semi-annual updates to the City Council to maintain transparency, share important public safety data, and report on progress toward departmental goals. This report summarizes activities and statistics covering the period of January 2026 through August 2026, highlighting crime trends, traffic enforcement, training, and community outreach.
Semi-Annual Department Update
Between January and August 2026, the Department reviewed crime activity and compared data against the same period in 2025. Overall, the data reveals some minor shifts in both person and property crime categories. Person crimes, which include aggravated and simple assaults, kidnappings, murders, rapes, and other sex offenses, showed a 27% decrease compared to the previous year. The larger percentage decrease is partly attributed to the low number of offenses within this category. Property crimes, which include arson, auto theft, burglary, embezzlement, forgery, fraud, larceny, robbery, stolen property, and vandalism, remained unchanged compared to 2025. Society crimes, which include drug and narcotics offenses, and prostitution reflected a 13% decrease compared to 2025. Misdemeanor society crimes, which include court order violations, disorderly conduct, DUI, liquor laws, and trespassing, showed an 8% decrease compared to 2025. Other case reports experienced a 2% decrease from 2025. Overall, the data reflects a decrease in reported incidents across most crime categories during the reporting period.
From January through August 2026, traffic statistics in Pismo Beach reflected several notable changes compared to the same period in 2025. Overall, traffic collisions rose from 115 to 130, marking a 13% increase, driven primarily by a 13% rise in vehicle collisions, which went from 78 to 88. Collisions involving pedestrians increased from 1 to 6, while bicycle collisions decreased by 18% from 11 to 9. DUI-related collisions saw a significant increase, rising by 125% from 8 to 18. Of the 18 DUI collisions, 12 of the collisions were into an object and 6 of the collisions involved another vehicle. On the enforcement side, traffic stops increased by 9%, climbing from 3,780 to 4,134. Traffic citations remained relatively unchanged, increasing from 1,263 to 1,265, while traffic warnings experienced the most significant increase, rising 88% from 301 to 567.
The Department also prioritized officer skills training and professional development.
Continued education and training are essential to maintaining a professional and effective police department. This commitment to continued education and professional
12.A-1Council Agenda 10-20-2026
development allows the Department to maintain a high level of proficiency and provide above standard service to the Pismo Beach community. From January through August 2026, the Department sent 35 officers and professional staff to 34 total courses, totaling 2,182 hours of instruction. Specialized training was also provided in areas such as supervisor development, criminal investigations, advanced DUI enforcement, active shooter response, bicycle patrol operations, records management, and communications training for dispatch personnel.
Community engagement remained a focus for the Police Department operations in 2026.
The presentation presented to City Council will highlight several examples of exceptional service, professionalism, and compassion provided by the officers and staff of the Pismo Beach Police Department.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council receive this report as information only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct fiscal impact from this report.
ATTACHMENTS:
None.
Submitted by: Jeff Smith, Police Chief
City Manager Approval:
12.A-2Council Agenda 10-20-2026