Calls for Service
Understanding Calls for Service
A Call for Service (CFS) is a record in the Department’s Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) System. It documents when an officer is dispatched to, or self-initiates, a response to a specific situation. Examples of individual calls for service include:
- Burglary Alarm (under the category of Alarms)
- Medical Escort (under the category of Escorts)
- Noise Complaint (under the category of Disturbances)
Categories of Service Calls
Service calls are grouped into broader categories based on the nature of the situation. Examples include:
- Alarms: includes calls like burglary alarms, fire alarms, and panic alarms
- Escorts: includes medical escorts, safety escorts, and other types of assistance
- Disturbances: Includes noise complaints, fights, and other disruptions
- Property Issues: Includes lost and/or stolen property reports
- Suspicious Activity: Includes reports of suspicious persons or trespassing
- Well-being Checks: Includes checks on individuals’ safety and welfare
- Property Checks: Includes security building checks, business log books, and “park and walks"
- Medical Cases: Includes hospital cases, auto accidents that require medical treatment, sick assistance, slips and falls
How Calls for Service Are Initiated
- By an officer
- By any individual making a call or report to Drexel Public Safety
- In response to an alarm
Calls for Service can be addressed either in the field or over the phone.
Data Representation
The data below represents calls to which a DUPD officer was assigned. It does not include calls transferred to another public safety agency, Drexel department, or other entity better suited to handle the issue.
| Annual Calls for Service Totals | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Number of Calls | 7485 | 16139 | 51587* |
The annual average calls for service from 2022-2024 is 25070.
The total number of calls for service has been increasing significantly since Oct. 2023, due to a Drexel Police Department initiative to perform a higher volume of routine security building checks. “Security building checks” are a grouping of officer-initiated service calls that see the officer performing routine duties such as park and walks, logbook signings and security building checks.
Annual vs. Daily Incident Reports: 2022-2024
Annual average, daily average, and calls for service averages by shift:
2022-2024 Annual Averages for Top Calls for Service
The top 10 calls for service represent
86%
of the total calls for service each year. These calls are their own incidents and separate from the metrics originally used to collect the data presented.
| Incident | Average Per Year |
|---|---|
| Security Building Check | 19048 |
| Investigation Person | 808 |
| Hospital Case | 432 |
| Investigate Premises | 29 |
| Disturbance Business | 287 |
| Report of Theft | 241 |
| Illegal Parking | 240 |
| Auto Accident | 193 |
| Vehicle Stop | 193 |
| Burglary Alarm | 173 |
In addition to the top 10, Drexel police officers respond to a broad range of service calls including responses to criminal matters. The categories for these calls are listed below:
- Alarms (excluding fire alarms)
- Found/Recovered Property
- Medical
- Escorts
- Thefts
- Suspicious Activity
- Fire Alarms
- Noise complaint/Loud Music/ Disturbance
- Lost Property
- Well Being Checks
- Auto Occupied/Unoccupied, Relocate, Broken down
- Vandalism
- Auto Accident
- Assault and Batteries/Sexual Assaults
- Everything Else
Calls for Service Definitions
- Auto Accident
- Documents incidents when the caller states that a vehicle struck another vehicle or fixed object and there are no injuries to report.
- Burglary Alarm
- Documents incidents where DUPD receives an intrusion alarm notification for an exterior door or an interior area protected by an alarm. Calls may come from an alarm company or from individuals who report hearing an alarm coming from a specific location. Officers are dispatched to determine the cause of the alarm and to ensure public safety.
- Disturbance in Business
- Documents incidents when a caller states there is a disturbance inside of a business, (i.e. verbal and/or physical confrontation where there are no weapons of any kind being used).
- Hospital Case
- Documents incidents where a student, faculty, staff, or visitor is either sick or injured and a DUPD officer and/or emergency medical personnel assess the individual, which could result in a transport to a medical facility.
- Investigate Person
- Documents incidents when DUPD officers become aware of a person exhibiting suspicious behavior on campus. Examples of suspicious activity may include (but are not limited to): an unauthorized individual attempting to access a Drexel property; a person loitering near building entrances for an extended period; a person looking into cars, moving from car to car, and/or trying door handles.
- Investigate Premise
- Documents incidents when it is necessary to check houses or businesses for reasons, such as, persons in vacant houses, lights on in abandoned or closed buildings, or open property.
- Report of Theft
- Documents prior incidents where a student, faculty, staff, or visitor reports the theft of personal or University property on campus. This code is used for incidents occurring more than 15 minutes prior to the time of the call.
- Theft in Progress
- Documents incidents where a student, faculty, staff, or visitor reports the theft of personal or University property on campus. In-progress incidents denote when the theft occurred within 15 minutes prior to the call.
- Security Building Check
- Documents incidents when officers are performing security checks of Drexel properties, or other properties or businesses on campus.
- Vehicle Stop
- Documents incidents when a police officer is investigating an occupied automobile for traffic violations or when a vehicle is stopped in continuation of an investigation for other reported incidents.