The Hopewell Township Police Department (HTP) saw a 5% increase in traffic stops after 2023, according to a 2024 annual police department report.
The township police department released their 2024 annual report in mid-April which includes an overview of the police force, the department’s statistics, incidents, programs, and achievements.
HTP not only serves the township, but Hopewell Borough.
In the 38-page report, the police department had 8,080 traffic stops, which is a 5% increase from 2023’s 7,740 traffic stops.
Within the 2024 traffic stops, the breakdown by race is 82.5% of the stops involved white drivers, 14.4% were African American, 2.1% Asian/Pacific Islander, and 1% American Indian.
Additionally, 87% were non-Hispanic and 13% Hispanic.
Domestic violence incidents increased in 2024 by 15% with a total of 75 domestic violence reports that year. There were 65 domestic violence reports in 2023.
Other data included in the report: Calls for service increased in 2024 by 20% to 31,121, the department conducted 722 motor vehicle investigations, received 82 mental health calls with an average call at 1 hour and 50 minutes, the department made 159 arrests, and had 10 use of force incidents and two vehicle pursuits.
“We have strengthened partnerships with local organizations, expanded outreach programs, and leveraged advancements in technology to improve service delivery,” Police Chief James Rosso said in a letter statement in the 2024 report. “These efforts reflect our commitment to fostering a secure and resilient community.
“Some notable changes to the organization over this past year were the implementation of the Community Partnership Unit and our first K-9, Riley. Also, our Dispatch Center was upgraded with new and advanced technology.”
Rosso added that the department’s focus remains on continuous improvement, accountability, and strengthening the relationships that make Hopewell Valley community safer and stronger.
The Community Partnership Unit (CPU), launched in 2024, is designed to enhance the department’s relationship with the Hopewell Valley community. Those efforts have resulted in coordinated events and educational courses.
The unit conducts bicycle patrols, foot patrols, business checks, and school security checks. They have coordinated events such as Coffee with a Cop, Trunk-or-Treat, National Night Out, Special Olympics, and charitable events.
Programs offered by the unit are the Blue Angel Program, child passenger seat installations, the Citizens Police Academy, the Youth Police Academy, senior safety talks and workshops, Hopewell S.A.F.E program (a registry for people who are autistic or have a communication disability that gives officers quick access to information such as emergency contact info, best ways to communicate, and medical concerns), and the CAPTURE program (voluntary community initiative registering surveillance systems with HTP).
The CAPTURE program is not an active surveillance program and HTP does not have direct access to any registered surveillance system, according to the department.
The department’s drone unit which was created in 2023 has six trained unmanned aircraft system (UVA) pilots. Drones and pilots were deployed more than 60 times in 2024 to help in missing persons searches, criminal investigations, training, to crime scenes, and building searches.
For the updated Communications Center, HTP stated that the center is nearly complete with new technology and enhanced capabilities. The center is operational running 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
There is a new addition to the police force with K-9 Riley. Officer Rob Voorhees, who is Riley’s handler, and K-9 Riley have been trained to assist in locating missing persons, tracking suspects, and detecting explosive materials. The department says their addition “strengthen HTP’s capabilities in proactive safety measures and emergency response.”
“As we reflect on this past year, I am proud of the significant strides we’ve made in not only enhancing public safety but in strengthening our connection with the community we serve,” Rosso said. “The upgrade of our dispatch center marks a major step forward in improving our emergency response capabilities, and the launch of our Community Partnership Unit represents our ongoing commitment to proactive, relationship-based policing.”
