Chief Waters displays new tools for police officers including a lighter ballistic vest, 3-D scanner and more. Bob Wieland/The Princeton Herald
Princeton Police Chief James Waters has found a way to do more with less. It’s called intelligent policing, and Waters said it can help keep the city safe until it can afford to hire all 33 more officers as suggested in Princeton’s strategic plan.
“We’re not going to see them today; we’re not going to see them tomorrow. So, how do we police smarter?” Waters said. “It’s all about policing strategy and heat mapping, strategic placement of officers and strategic placement of implementation of tools.”
The crime heat mapping index allows the department to spot crime trends and locations, showing where more enforcement is needed.
At year’s end, the department had 49 officers and was budgeted for six open positions. Waters said he had more than a dozen applicants, all experienced officers, for those slots.
In addition to starting pay of more than $76,000, 15 paid holidays and full insurance, Princeton is equipping its officers with some of the best gear in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the chief said.
“We want to make it desirable to come work for us, to where we’re attracting applicants from other agencies that have a little bit of experience they can bring here and grow,” he said.
For example, the 40-pound active shooter ballistic vest that previously lived in the trunk of a patrol car has been replaced with lightweight, rifle-rated body armor for everyday wear.
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