Asheville Police Chief David Zack is pleased to announce the department was awarded on Nov. 19 the national Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), marking the ninth time for the accreditation since 1994. Dubbed “The Gold Standard in Public Safety,” the re-accreditation process occurs every four years and is awarded to a public safety [...]
Outdoor enthusiasts are enjoying the vast opportunities to be out in nature this summer. A popular recreation activity in the Asheville area, of course, is biking; but as it turns out, a popular crime of opportunity is bike theft. As the crime prevention message goes: A person can’t fully control someone’s desire or ability to commit a [...]
With the new fiscal year will come new registration and renewal fees for alarm systems in the City of Asheville. Following an overwhelming number of false alarms coming into the Asheville Police Department — 97% of which were false alarms — City Council adopted a revised Alarm Ordinance at its June 22 meeting. According to the [...]
The Asheville Police Department along with Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina (PCANC) realize the importance of caring connections, supportive environments, and positive experiences for all children and families during Child Abuse Prevention Month in April. April is a time to help community members learn the important role they play in fostering safe, stable, nurturing relationships and [...]
Two recently-implemented community-centered initiatives started by the Asheville Police Department (APD) have gained traction throughout the city. The Dec. 1, 2020, launch of “TIP2APD” made it easier than ever for residents to make officers aware of issues impacting their neighborhoods. TIP2APD, a mobile application and texting tool, allows the public to share anonymous tips [...]
In keeping with a commitment to provide greater transparency and accountability, the Asheville Police Department (APD) has created a “one-stop” public data dashboard. The dashboard takes statistics available through open data sites, and puts them into one easily accessible location. The data is formatted in a way that is easy to understand and provides a [...]
2020 has been a difficult year for our world, our country, our City. As we look to the new year, the Asheville Police Department would like to thank partner organizations and community members for supporting APD and contributing to what makes Asheville a wonderful place to live, work, and visit. Here’s a look back at APD [...]
The Asheville Police Department is making it easier than ever for residents to make officers aware of issues impacting their neighborhoods. In October, the APD created the Community Engagement Division (CED), after a department-wide restructuring. The goal of the division is to quickly and efficiently respond to neighborhood quality of life concerns. “We are excited to [...]
The Asheville Police Department (APD) is putting a new crime-fighting tool into the hands of community members. This new tool, TIP2APD, allows the public to share anonymous tips with police officers and lets officers respond back to create an anonymous two-way conversation. (See video tutorial below.) The AshevillePD app is available for free download for both [...]
The Asheville Police Department is encouraging individuals who want to report certain types of non-emergencies to use the Police to Citizen tool (P2C) available online by visiting https://ashevillepd.policetocitizen.com. It is crucial to remember that this tool is not a replacement for calling 9-1-1 in the event of an emergency. The online reporting module allows [...]
Getting into the holiday spirit in 2020 might have many focusing on making adjustments to their traditions or maybe even considering alternatives, due to COVID-19 precautions. However, officers with the Asheville Police Department request residents remember an unfortunately common holiday season problem — theft. From “porch pirate” package theft, to theft from [...]
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and the Asheville Police Department (APD) is working in partnership with local agencies to bring attention to this issue and remind the community of domestic violence services in the Asheville area. APD statistics show a climb in domestic violence incidents in recent months. APD officers treat domestic violence calls as [...]
Following a clear call from our community, City Council voted to remove or repurpose the Vance Monument, passed a resolution supporting community reparations, and passed a budget that only funded departments for three months so that City staff could [...]
The Labor Day holiday is one of the most dangerous times for travel behind New Year’s Eve, Christmas and St. Patrick’s Day. In an effort to keep impaired drivers off the road, law enforcement across the state will have an increased presence this week and over the Labor Day holiday weekend as part of the “Booze [...]
Updated information: The City of Asheville has now opened a survey to gather input from residents on how our public safety services can better promote racial equity and economic inclusion. Original announcement: In September, the City of Asheville will launch an extensive series of listening sessions with the community to help us reimagine the [...]
A new mode of school is now in session for Asheville students, but officers with the Asheville Police Department Traffic Safety Unit (TSU) say the same safety measures apply. “Students and school buses on the roads haven’t just been gone for the summer — it has been even longer,” said APD Traffic Safety Unit Sergeant Scott [...]
As students, parents, caregivers, and teachers prepare to dive into a new school year that looks quite different from any other, the Asheville Police Department Computer Crimes Unit detectives want to offer safety reminders to students and families. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, social interaction opportunities for kids, teens and adults are a bit thinner than [...]