Levelland Police Chief Erica O’Bryon provided a detailed report for the police department at the city council meeting this past Monday.
O’Bryon said 2025 brought growth, new challenges and opportunities as officers, dispatchers, animal control officers and support staff answered thousands fo calls for service, investigated crimes, and emergency response as the department worked proactively to keep the city safe.
She said LPD also made investments in the agency to enhance equipment, upgrade technology, expand training and began a fleet overhaul that not only supports officer safety and efficiency, but ensures the highest level of service possible.
The LPD, like most law enforcement agencies in the United States, utilizes the FBI National Incident-Based Reporting System to track, analyze, and report crime trends in the community.
By the numbers, LPD had 19,380 total service calls, a decrease of 4.55% compared to 2024. The number of total agency calls was 11,683, an 11.49% decrease; traffic stops, 2,155, a decrease of 4.86%; arrests, 443, an increase of 30.29%; and traffic collisions, 134, a decrease of 0.74%.
Some of the crime statistics provided in the report noted that crimes against people had increased 5.44%; crimes against property decreased 10.05%; and crimes against society decreased 7.69%. Crime statistics showed that assault was the leading crime in Levelland, with 136 reports, followed by theft offenses at 90; and drugs and narcotics at 72. Other crimes included burglary and breaking and entering, 32; and destruction of property and vandalism, 49.
The highest volume of calls was traffic related, including 2,155 traffic stops; 253 reckless driving calls; and 229 traffic complaints. Community-initiated service calls represented a significant portion of departmental workload, including 596 information calls, 503 phone messages, 470 welfare checks and 570 suspicious person or vehicle calls, many which required further investigation, follow-up and officer presence despite no resulting in enforcement action.
Officers also responded to 448 alarm activations and 281 disturbance calls.
In her report, O’Bryon stated that crisis and welfarerelated incidents remained a substantial demand on resources, with 215 domestic disturbance calls, 224 EMS assist calls, and 37 suicide=related incidents, requiring time-intensive responses, coordination with partner agencies and followup services. Collectively, the figures showed a large portion of calls for service in 2025 involved noncriminal, service-oriented and preventative policing, reinforcing the evolving role of law enforcement as both a public safety and community service organization.
O’Bryon noted that patrol operations serves as the foundation of LPD, with uniformed officers responding to the majority of calls. An average patrol officer responded to approximately 1,200 calls with an average response time of 4 minutes and 23 seconds.
The criminal investigations division handled 713 assigned cases, representing a wide range of offenses that required detailed follow-up, evidence collection, interviews and coordination with patrol officers, prosecutors and partner agencies.
According to O’Bryon, the School Resource Officer (SRO) plays a vital role in maintaining safe, supportive and positive environments for students and staff at LISD. Collectively, SROs handled approximately 1,122 calls for service during 2025.
The LPD Mental Health Officer, who was brought on in May 2025, handled 235 mental health-related calls for service. The program partners with StarCare which helps to reduce repeat calls for service and improve outcomes.
With communications vital to the agency, the LPD Communications Division serves as the primary answering point for all police, fire and EMS services in Hockley County. Dispatchers handled more that 20,328 call for service, coordinating emergency and non-emergency responses for multiple agencies while maintaining accurate call prioritization, officer safety and resource deployment in the city and county. By the end of 2025, the division has five fully trained dispatchers and one dispatcher in training, moving closer to the authorized staffing level of 8.5 positions.
According to the report, the Animal Control Division has experienced significant growth and momentum with the hiring of a new animal control manager. ACO’s responded to approximately 1,248 calls for service addressing a wide range of animal-related concerns. The division had 669 total intakes in 2025 which included 104 owner surrenders; 316 adoptions; 73 returned to owner; 76 sent to rescues; 22 sent to fosters; 193 euthanized (shelter decision) and 31 owner-requested euthanasia. The division’s rate increased from 58.7% in 2024 to 76.3% in 2025.