Chief Ross reflects on first year in office

Tim Ross started his term as Homewood’s police chief in January 2016 with a list of goals to accomplish. One year later, he’s crossed most of those projects off his list.

One of the key indicators for his success in the first year since replacing former Chief Jim Roberson is the department has seen a decrease in major crimes within the city. In August, Ross reported to the City Council that burglary was down 22 percent; automobile theft down 16 percent; robbery down 37 percent; and vehicle burglary down 20 percent. That trend continued through the rest of 2016, along with an average 9 percent increase in traffic stops.

“We’re not seeing any increases in any of our major crime categories, so I’m very proud of that,” Ross said.

Another major goal for Ross was to bring the department up to full staffing. In 2016, Homewood Police hired 10 new officers and seven civilian and support positions, leaving only two vacancies remaining. 

“This is the closest we’ve been to full staff here in the department in many, many years,” Ross said. “I think it’s made a big difference in what we’re able to do in the community.”

Having that extra manpower has allowed Ross to promote nine officers and have individual officers participate in the local FBI task force, the Secret Service cyber crime unit, the district attorney’s white-collar crime task force and the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office metro area crime center. He also re-staffed the HPD vice and narcotics unit to focus on drug trafficking and prostitution.

“I think we’ve made some positive strides this year toward combating that time of crime,” Ross said.

His first year in office has helped Ross make more connections across the community. Though he has been with HPD since 1988, he said being chief brings a whole new dimension to relationships with the City Council, government department heads, community leaders and residents’ watch groups.

“It’s given me a very much more broad relationship base than I had as a police officer,” Ross said.

In response, Ross said he has received an outpouring of support from the community. After national tragedies such as the police shootings in Dallas and Baton Rouge, community members brought food for the department, and the City Council readily approved his request for additional ballistic vests.

“There’s really no equipment that I’ve asked for that I haven’t gotten,” he said.

Ross added that he encourages his officers “to get out and know the people they’re serving” while on shift to continue preserving the good relationship and trust they have with Homewood residents.

Ross has also seen new equipment added to the department’s resources in 2016. This includes a new radio system for the first time in 13 years and predictive policing software that tracks and anticipates crimes. The department also began using two license plate readers in late 2016, which is discussed in more detail on page ____ in the Year in Preview.

One piece of technology Ross is excited about is the FATS (firearm training simulator), which will give more immersive training in situations where officers must decide whether to use deadly force. Given the ongoing national conversation about officer-involved shootings, Ross said this kind of training is especially important for his officers.

“It will give us just a great ability to train our officers in an area that we have seen nationwide has become extremely controversial, and police have been under tremendous scrutiny when they make decisions like that in the field,” Ross said.

The new public safety building on Bagby Drive is the one thing Ross had hoped to make more progress on in 2016, but he anticipates more work will be done in 2017. This is also discussed in greater detail in the Year in Preview section on page A19.

In 2017, Ross said he hopes to continue the downward trend in crime, keep the department fully staffed and continue looking for new ways to improve the department.

“It’s been really busy, but I feel like it’s been very productive and rewarding at the same time,” Ross said.