CIRCLEVILLE — Facing a looming population surge and aging infrastructure, Safety Director Paul Pride addressed the Circleville Safety Committee on Tuesday night, outlining a strategic roadmap to modernize the city’s safety forces. The report highlighted a department in transition—balancing successful recruitment efforts with the reality of $1.5 million in necessary equipment upgrades.
The “Rooftop” Reality
The core of Pride’s presentation was centered on the rapid expansion of Circleville. With roughly 1,400 homes currently under construction and another 1,000 potentially in the zoning pipeline, the city’s population could soon climb toward 18,000 residents.
“At some point… we’re going to be coming here to council and asking for permission to change that composition and increase those numbers,” Pride said, noting that while the departments are working toward current authorized staffing levels, those numbers will soon be insufficient to provide the same level of service to thousands of new neighbors.
Staffing Gains and the Training Gap
Recruitment efforts saw a boost this week as two new police officers were sworn in, bringing the force to 13 officers. While this still leaves the department seven officers short of its authorized 20-person roster, Pride expressed optimism.
Officer Grant Hollaway has returned to the department — welcome back!
Officer Angelica Verduga joins us as a lateral transfer, bringing valuable experience to our agency.
The dispatch center has also reached a major milestone, now fully staffed with six dispatchers and one supervisor. However, Pride cautioned that “bodies” are only half the battle. He emphasized a renewed focus on high-level training for a “young and impressionable” enthusiastic workforce to ensure the safety of both officers and the community.
A $1.5 Million “Ask” on the Horizon
Perhaps the most significant portion of the report dealt with aging technology. Pride put a “seven-digit number” on the radar for Council: an estimated $1.5 million to overhaul the city’s radio systems.
“Radios that the officers and the firefighters have are about 10 to 12 years old. They’re outdated. They break down on a regular basis,” Pride explained. The proposed upgrade would cover portable and mobile units for Police, Fire, and Probation. While not a formal budget request yet, Pride urged Council to “plant the seed now” so the eventual cost doesn’t come as a shock.
Data and Discipline
Administratively, the departments are facing a “trash in, trash out” challenge, with not enough training. The right information isn’t being put in, so you can’t pull it out, noting training/discipline issues that are being addressed. Pride noted that while the city possesses sophisticated data systems like Central Square and CAD, the staff lacks the specific training to “query” that data effectively.
“We know the information is in there… we just don’t understand how to get it out,” Pride admitted. Correcting this is vital for the city to understand why certain crimes, such as burglaries and thefts, have seen recent increases and to proactively deploy resources where they are needed most.
Fleet and Facilities
The city is also moving forward with an Enterprise fleet program to cycle out high-mileage cruisers, a move intended to lower maintenance costs and keep the force in reliable vehicles. Additionally, council members recently toured the police facility to view updates to the evidence room, a project aimed at reducing city liability and improving the chain of custody for local cases.
Director Pride concluded by thanking Council for their continued communication, stressing that neither Police nor Fire/EMS is more important than the other—both must grow in tandem to meet the needs of a growing Circleville.
