The Charleston Police Department has published its 2025 Annual Report, a new three-year Strategic Plan for 2026–2028, and an Office of Internal Affairs (OIA) Dashboard. These resources are intended to give the public greater insight into the department’s performance and priorities.
According to the department’s 2025 Annual Report, crime in Charleston fell by 36.3 percent last year. Violent crime dropped in several areas, including aggravated assaults, robberies, and sex offenses. Property crimes also declined, with fewer burglaries and thefts involving motor vehicles.
The newly launched OIA Dashboard provides regularly updated data on internal investigations such as complaints, use of force incidents, vehicle pursuits, and employee-involved cases. The dashboard is designed to help residents track trends over time and understand how the department handles accountability issues. Data from 2025 will be added soon.
The Strategic Plan for 2026–2028 outlines key goals: improving public safety and organizational resilience, increasing technology adoption and innovation, and enhancing communication with the community. The plan was shaped by departmental assessments, leadership input, and community feedback.
Charleston Police say these initiatives aim to support the city’s growth while maintaining transparency and operational readiness.
“The 2025 Annual Report documents department activity and outcomes over the past year, with a focus on crime trends across the city. In 2025, overall crime decreased by 36.3 percent.”
“Violent crime declined across multiple categories, including decreases in aggravated assaults, robberies, and sex offenses. Property crime also continued a downward trend with notable reductions in burglary, theft from motor vehicles, and motor vehicle thefts.”
“The department also launched a new Office of Internal Affairs (OIA) Dashboard, which provides regularly updated information on internal investigations, complaints, use of force, vehicle pursuits, and employee-involved incidents. The dashboard allows residents to view trends over time and better understand how the department reviews concerns and maintains accountability. The 2025 information for this dashboard is being finalized and will be published soon.”
“In addition, CPD completed its 2026 – 2028 Strategic Plan, which establishes clear priorities to guide operations, staffing, technology, and communication over the next three years. The plan was informed by internal data analysis, am in-depth department-wide assessment, leadership and operational input, and partnership feedback.”
“The Strategic Plan centers on three goals: strengthening public safety and organizational resilience, accelerating technology and innovation, and elevating communication and community engagement. These priorities reflect the department’s approach to serving a rapidly growing city while maintaining transparency, accountability, and operational readiness.”
The report as well as links to both the Strategic Plan for 2026–2028 and OIA Dashboard are available online.
