BY GRACIE WARHURST
Mayor, District 2 race unopposed in May The Georgetown mayoral and Place 2 race will be uncontested during the May 2 election, clearing the way for these candi- dates to be elected to City Council. The breakdown Incumbent Mayor Josh Schroeder filed to run for reelection. For Place 2, Doug Noble will be uncontested. Currently, the Place 2 seat is held by Shawn Hood. The Georgetown mayor and City Council members serve three-year terms. While the mayor is elected at-large, council members represent single districts. Place 4 is also on the ballot in May. Incumbent Jake French will face challenger Emily Kaye Kipp. To see important election dates and read Q&As with the candidates, visit Page 16.
Police dept. addresses staffing, response times The Georgetown Police Department is working to add patrol personnel over the next few years amid a steady rise in calls for service, Police Chief Cory Tchida told City Council on Feb. 10. The gist Overall crime rates have dropped in the city, despite a rise in population, Tchida said. The police department reported a 7.38% decrease in the most serious offenses—murder, robbery and drug violations—year over year in 2025. Still, calls for service increased by 4.25%, amount- ing to more than 30,000 calls last year. Increased call volume and the large geographic area that GPD covers has caused slower officer response times, Tchida said. The average response time for the highest priority calls rose to 9 minutes and 15 seconds in 2025, up from about 8 minutes and 30 seconds in 2024.
Calls for service The total number of calls to the Georgetown Police Department rose to over 30,000 in 2025.
35K 30K 25K 20K 15K 10K 5K 0
+15.94
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
SOURCE: CITY OF GEORGETOWN/COMMUNITY IMPACT
Staffing has also contributed to slower response times, Tchida said. While the department hired eight new officers, it lost 13 from retirement, termi- nation and resignation. Staffing models recommend adding 15-17 patrol officers over the next five years. “We have historically, in this job, sold the sense of adventure, and we need to focus much more on a sense of purpose because the purpose is what is going to drive people to be willing to do the hard things,” Tchida said.
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