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With great growth can come great challenges. Frisco continues to add residents, with 8,500 people moving to the Collin County town last year.
NBC 5 spoke with Frisco Police Chief David Shilson about crime, the city’s growth and how the fentanyl crisis is impacting wealthy communities.
This week, Shilson attended a City Hall meeting to present the latest crime report to the City Council, documenting incident details and monthly and yearly comparisons.
Shilson urges the public to join the “front lines of fentanyl.” The community forum will include a panel of experts and people affected by fentanyl.
Shilson said fentanyl cases are on the rise.
“Frisco is not without crime. It’s less crime, but it’s not without crime,” he said. “The same goes for fentanyl. It’s in our community. We’ve seen overdose deaths.”
Cases involve people of all ages, demographics, and socio-economic statuses.
“We’re doing this to prevent more deaths,” he said. “That’s what this is about. Prevention. It’s not about making people nervous.”
“America’s safest city” continues to have low crime rates.
A crime report filed with the city this week details the following statistics and key findings registered:
The 2023 calendar year saw the highest number of motor vehicle thefts since records have been kept, with a total of 229 incidents reported.
In January 2024, there were 45 drug-related arrests, an increase of 40.63% compared to December 2023, when there were 32 drug-related arrests.
According to crime statistics, criminal activity on the rise includes retail theft and avoidable property crimes.
Shilson said the “overwhelming majority” of car thefts and robberies involve unlocked vehicles.
Police are urging residents to follow the “Take, Lock, Hide” initiative to avoid becoming victims.
Frisco police have also noticed that thieves are specifically targeting three vehicle models: the Chevrolet Silverado, Dodge Charger and Chevrolet Camaro. Plano police recently reported that the same model of vehicle is being targeted more often than other vehicles.
As Shilson says, Frisco isn’t immune to crime either.
Last November, two high-profile investigations shook the community. NBC 5 requested updates on each investigation.
Detectives are still searching for the gunman who shot two men, one of them fatally, outside a Frisco Walmart in November 2023. Police have no information to share about the suspect.
Just a few days ago, Frisco police announced that they had arrested a man on suspicion of aiding his girlfriend’s suicide last November. Police found her body in a local pond. Mr. Shilson could not provide any new details about the ongoing investigation.
As the community of about 232,000 people grows, so too does its police force.
Frisco has more than 250 police officers. The city recently approved funding to add 32 new officers to the force.
“We’re growing, so we have to hire a lot of people,” Shilson said.
The starting salary is $80,000, and candidates from all over the country are applying to the city. The department welcomes officers from as far away as California, Georgia and New York.
“We are more focused on hiring the right people than filling vacancies as quickly as possible,” says Shilson.
The city’s top police officer said the city’s investigative process is thorough and takes into account that police policies vary from department to department across the country.
Candidates from other police departments have been rejected as deemed “not a good fit” for Frisco.
“We want to make sure we hire the right people for this community,” he said. “[Those who] Willing to work with an active community. ”
Shilson has led the department since 2019, but has been an officer with the Frisco Police Department since 2002.
He credits a supportive and engaged community and strong partnerships with city leaders and schools with helping the police department keep a rapidly growing city safe.
The Fentanyl Frontline Public Forum will be held at the Hope Fellowship East Campus on Thursday, February 29th from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
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