A local police department is seeing and feeling the effects of being fully staffed.

Lincoln Police Chief Joe Meister explains that during 2025, they saw a 18% decrease in the number of burglaries and a 13% decrease in thefts compared to 2024. Arrests have increased as a whole, and he notes that this shows the department's commitment to making the community safer. 

Traffic enforcement stops have also increased, and the Chief indicates that this is the effect of being fully staffed. He says that after years of being understaffed, having a full team is a blessing. 

Being fully staffed is a big morale booster for any department. Burnout can be a real problem when officers are stretched thin, and Chief Meister adds that at one point, they were even at risk of losing school resource officers to have more support on the street. 

To learn more about the Lincoln Police Department, find the department on Facebook. The Chief notes that those interested in additional statistical data from the police department can find it on the city's website, lincolnil.gov.