HBAC #151: Hilliard Division of Police Chief Michael Woods

With the latest episode of the HBAC the guys welcome Hilliard Police Chief Michael Woods to the program for a focused conversation on our burgeoning suburb.Community PolicingWoods described community policing as a core operational philosophy beginning at the hiring stage. Officers, he said, are expected to be visible and approachable whether that means walking neighborhood events, interacting with children at city celebrations, teaching self-defense classes or participating in programs like the Citizens Police Academy and Youth Safety Academy. The chief emphasized that officers are encouraged to build relationships before crises occur hoping residents view police as a resource rather than a distant enforcement mechanism. Growth in Population and the Staffing ChallengeThe conversation also explored the realities of policing a rapidly growing suburb. Woods explained that roughly two-thirds of Hilliard’s officers are assigned to patrol functions with specialized units focus on investigations, school resource operations, traffic safety and crime analysis. He discussed how the department uses a newer civilian intelligence analyst to identify crime patterns, analyze digital evidence and direct patrol resources toward emerging trouble spots such as vehicle break-ins and theft clusters. Chief Woods acknowledged ongoing concerns over reckless driving along Interstate 270 and major corridors throughout Hilliard and Norwich Township, noting that the department works jointly with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, Ohio State Highway Patrol and neighboring jurisdictions on targeted enforcement operations.As Hilliard continues adding residents and commercial development, Woods said the department is always monitoring and revising staffing projections. A recent recurring analysis determined that four additional officers will likely be needed over the next two years to maintain service levels as areas like TruePointe continue building out for businesses and residents. Woods also detailed the department’s extensive vetting process for lateral hires, emphasizing that prior police experience does not exempt applicants from undergoing the same scrutiny and background review as new recruits. TechnologyTechnology and transparency formed another major thread throughout. The chief discussed the city’s emerging drone first-responder program, describing scenarios where aerial response can help locate missing individuals, assess highway crashes or direct medics to emergency scenes more quickly. He also addressed public concerns surrounding Flock license plate reader cameras, stressing that the system does not use facial recognition and that all searches are logged, audited and publicly reported.The interview concluded with discussion of the district’s threat assessment partnership with Hilliard City Schools. Woods described the initiative as an effort to identify students displaying troubling behavioral patterns and connect families with resources before situations escalate into violence. He framed the program as preventative rather than punitive, centered on intervention, counseling and coordination between schools, police and community support systems. Topics Discussed and approx. timestamps00:00 – 02:00 Introduction of Chief Michael Woods and discussion of a past Hilliard infant death investigation handled by the department. 02:00 – 05:15 Community policing philosophy, officer visibility, Citizens Police Academy, Youth Safety Academy and public outreach programs. 05:15 – 06:40 Discussion of policing culture differences between Hilliard and larger cities like Baltimore. 06:40 – 10:55 Breakdown of department structure, patrol staffing, investigations, school resource officers and the civilian crime analyst role. 11:00 – 13:15 Traffic enforcement strategy, speeding concerns, drag racing complaints and regional coordination on Interstate 270. 13:15 – 16:20 Norwich Township policing contract, jurisdictional boundaries and patrol zone deployment. 16:20 – 19:35 Population growth, staffing studies, future hiring needs and development pressures on police services. 19:35 – 26:50 Lateral hiring, officer vetting, field training and maintaining departmental culture and standards. 26:50 – 30:30 School resource officers, post 2020 policing debates and the “Parks, Passes and Pools” summer initiative. 30:30 – 32:55 Drone first-responder program and examples of emergency deployment scenarios. 32:55 – 36:15 Flock license plate reader cameras, transparency reporting, privacy concerns and investigative uses. 36:15 – 37:30 Mayor’s Court operations and local traffic citation