More traffic is boosting the workload of the Wildwood Police Department, Chief Randy Parmer told city commissioners on Monday.
Last year, the department made 7,776 traffic stops, up 68 percent from 2022.
The city had 665 crashes, including two with fatalities, which was 140 more accidents than the previous year.
“Traffic enforcement is yet our biggest concern, our biggest problem,” Parmer said.
The department participates in programs to deter traffic violations such as Click It or Ticket and Operation Southern Slowdown, a joint effort by law enforcement agencies to target speeders.
Two more traffic control officers were added recently and the department plans to add another traffic officer and a sergeant. The department is staffed by 56 sworn officers, eight non-sworn employees and volunteers.
Parmer said the department received 21,268 calls for service last year, up 30 percent from 2022. More than 40 percent of the calls were related to traffic issues, including traffic strops, abandoned vehicles and license verification for car buyers.
The chief said both property and violent crimes were down last year while officers continue to shave their response time.
During the first quarter of this year, Parmer said the average response time was two minutes and five seconds. Last year, the average was two minutes and 56 seconds, down 19 percent from the prior year.
Officers investigated 380 criminal cases last year and cleared 112 cases. That 30 percent clearance rate is similar to other area police agencies, Parmer said.
