Bloomington, Indiana — A fuller picture of safety in Bloomington is now available to the public, with the city releasing its annual report on the work carried out by police, firefighters and community support teams during 2025.
The 2025 Public Safety Report does more than count emergencies. It traces the growing demand placed on Bloomington’s public safety network, while also showing where the city saw progress in staffing, crime reduction and responses that do not always require a police officer or fire crew.
That demand was substantial. Bloomington Police Department calls for service reached 80,450 in 2025, an increase of 5.9% from the previous year and nearly 49% higher than in 2020. Bloomington Fire Department calls also rose, reaching 6,745 during the year, up 4.4% from 2024 and 39% above the 2020 level.
Even as service volume grew, the report points to encouraging movement in property crime. Overall property crime declined 19.3% in 2025. Larceny dropped 21.9%, while vandalism fell 11.1%, offering one of the clearest signs of improvement included in the report.
The document also sheds light on the city’s broader approach to public safety. Community Service Specialists handled 5,675 calls for service in 2025, representing about 9.8% of call volume when extra patrols are excluded. Their role reflects an effort to connect residents with assistance and address certain situations through alternative response, crisis support and resource navigation.
Staffing, long a challenge for many public safety agencies, emerged as another major point in the report. In September 2025, the Bloomington Fire Department reached full staffing across every authorized position for the first time in a decade. Earlier in the year, in June, the Bloomington Police Department swore in 11 new officers, marking its largest single recruit class in more than 30 years.
Read also: Hopewell Commons becomes gathering place for local food, music and new neighbors all summer long
The report brings together information from BPD, BFD and the city’s Community and Family Resources Department. Along with calls and crime trends, it examines traffic safety, emergency response capacity, training, facilities, prevention work and partnerships intended to reduce repeat crises.
“This report gives residents a clearer look at what Bloomington’s public safety system is handling and how the City is responding,” Mayor Kerry Thomson said in announcing its release.
Her statement captures the central message running through the document: safety is not limited to what happens after an emergency call comes in. It also depends on maintaining trained staff, strengthening community services and building systems that can respond before problems deepen.
Residents can review the report and earlier annual public safety documents through the city’s Public Safety Annual Reports page.
