SJPD’s Launches New Dashboard Tracking Interactions with Unhoused Individuals

MEDIA ADVISORY 

In alignment with the City Council's urgent call to confront the dual challenges of homelessness and public safety, the San José Police Department (SJPD) is launching a new public-facing dashboard that tracks officer interactions with unhoused individuals. The Crime Analysis Unit developed the dashboard in alignment with the Crime Strategies vision, offering residents new insights into the City’s public safety response amid a growing crisis

“The more we understand a problem, the better we can solve it,” said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. “I want to thank our Police Department for developing this dashboard to show us exactly how much of their emergency response capacity goes to our crisis of homelessness. Because if we don’t know the full cost of leaving someone to suffer on our streets, it makes the conversation about what we’re willing to spend to get them off the streets even harder. I hope this new tool gives us a better look at just one of the many hidden costs of this crisis.“

The dashboard is a key transparency tool developed in response to Chief Paul Joseph’s directive to sharpen the Department’s focus on Quality of Life calls for service and incidents involving the unhoused. It reflects a deliberate effort to share meaningful data with the public—data that will help guide resources, inform outreach strategies, and strengthen public trust.

“The public deserves to see not only how we respond, but where and when those responses occur,” said Chief Paul Joseph. “This dashboard is one more step toward clarity, compassion, and accountability.”

“Thank you to the San José Police Department (SJPD) for creating an innovative tool that provides the community with valuable insight into the Police Department’s calls involving unhoused individuals, while delivering data to help guide where outreach is needed the most, said San José City Manager Jennifer Maguire. “This represents a forward-thinking initiative by SJPD to demonstrate their commitment to transparency and a community-centric approach in their public safety efforts.”

Data for the dashboard spans from January 11, 2023, through the most recently completed month and is sourced from SJPD’s Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) system.

What the Dashboard Shows

- Scope of Interactions: Events where officers noted encounters with unhoused individuals.
- Geographic Insight: Calls can be filtered by City Council District and SJPD Division
- Call Types: Including all dispositions to preserve a full picture of service demand.
- Data Transparency: While events without location data are excluded, the dashboard maintains a wide lens,
excluding only system generated entries. More information on these exclusions can be found in the FAQ section of
the dashboard. 

 Discrepancies in Context

- Data for January 2023 is partial, starting on the 11th when the tracking system became fully operational, and
may distort comparisons.
- Some categories reflect small numbers, which can cause large percentage swings.
- Identification of “unhoused” status is based on officer reporting and observation at the time of contact.

The dashboard represents a growing commitment to data-informed policymaking and collaborative problem-solving. In the months ahead, the Department will continue refining and expanding this public tool to help residents and decision-makers better understand the evolving landscape of homelessness in San José.