Nothing for the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) was on the agenda for the Tuesday, Dec. 15 Greensboro City Council meeting.
This is despite the fact that, at the Dec. 7 work session on violent crime, councilmembers had made the point that they wanted to take immediate action to help the GPD quell the tremendous increase in violent crime and homicides that the city is experiencing in 2020.
This is also despite the fact that, since that meeting, the city passed the grim milestone of the 60th homicide of the year – an increase from 45 homicides in 2019, which was itself a record number.
The City Council often uses the excuse of a policy not to take action at work sessions. And that was the excuse for not providing the assistance that Police Chief Brian James requested at the work session.
However, Greensboro Police Chief Brian James did get an opportunity to speak at the Tuesday, Dec. 15 meeting. After the agenda was completed and councilmembers were making comments, Councilmember Sharon Hightower asked if the City Council could get an update from James, since Greensboro had hit 60 homicides.
James noted that the Police Department, which has 612 of the authorized 674 officers fully trained and working, had started using overtime to fill in the gaps created by the shortage of officers. James did not need City Council permission to do this and he noted at the work session that it would have no budget impact since they would use the money allocated for police salaries for the unfilled positions.
James also said that he would be submitting a supplemental budget on Friday that would cover the additional detective and crime analyst he planned to hire. He said, “One homicide case involves a tremendous amount of work.”
He added that he had hired back some recently retired officers to do legwork involved in investigating homicides.
City Manager David Parrish said that the staffing issues could be addressed without City Council action.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan suggested that James hold “an informational” session every week or every other week to keep the public informed.
Other than that advice no immediate help was given to the GPD.
Of course the council took no action to help the police. They only pay lip service and demand actions without any financial support. Maybe the $800,000 given to Councilwoman Johnson for her program would have helped hire some more officers.
I’d be interested to see just HOW Ms.. Johnson is spending the money she got for her project.
They should be ashamed of themselves. I’m ashamed for them. They don’t just work for the council they work for the citizens. They are citizens they do their job they should be paid and they should have enough people on staff to have their backs.
The streets are falling apart , limbs hanging out over the road , a hazard , pot holes big as buckets and they give tax money to these feel good bull crap . Merritt Drive is a third world disgrace…. drive it and see . Houses all over the area being built or remodeled , no permits on Greenpoint ,Colby ,West Ave. Anything goes unless you live in Erving Park.
Where are those people who care for the whole , not the few.
First thing to do yesterday.. fire Nancy Vaughens crooked leadership.. she is a joke,!
Our city council is the worst. Greensboro continues to fall behind on every front. The only thing this council cares about are their pet projects.
Call Nicole Pettiford, Chief.
What Greensboro, High Point and Guilford County needs is 30 days of the “Blue Flu.” No Highway Patrol, no Police, no Sheriff, no Probation/Parole, No bonding agent surrenders. Just advertise it well beforehand let it go to hell for a full month. I think that might be convincing to all of those who ignore what’s really going on. The citizens might have to send a few thugs to meet Jesus while defending themselves or their property during that period, but it is what it is. Either support these agencies and their leaders or reap the consequences of lawlessness and disorder. I couldn’t give a damn where the crime occurs, or what race the person is, right is right and wrong is wrong. The Police respond to who/what/where the crime has occurred. Let them do what they need to to clean up the streets.
Amen just saying. Amen
FOOD for thought ,why does any municipality vote for Democrats????????? In all Demcratically run cities you have wasted spending on their pet projects,cut police spending so that are sure to give away more money than the little peons that supply it in the form of RAISED taxes.Mayor and council people GET out of the police interfering and let them do their job.Any young person in Guilford county would be stupid to consider police work today.