The City of Greensboro just took a big step toward reimagining how it addresses public safety with the unveiling of its new five-year “Comprehensive Community Safety Plan.”

The announcement came during the third annual “Peace on Purpose” event held at the Simkins Sports Pavilion, where city leaders and community members got together to highlight a collaborative approach to cutting down on violence and improving safety across all neighborhoods in the city.

The Community Safety Plan, developed under the leadership of the City of Greensboro’s Community Safety Department, is the result of over a year of dialogue, data analysis, and conversations with residents, nonprofits, government agencies and grassroots organizations.

The initiative traces its roots back to the first Peace on Purpose event held in June 2023, where officials began building momentum for their safety strategy that’s intended to be grounded in community input.

“This five-year plan was created with the community,” said Greensboro Community Safety Director Latisha McNeil at the unveiling. “The City and its partners are committed to working collectively to achieve holistic safety for all of Greensboro – on every block, in every neighborhood.”

The 2025-2030 plan outlines a comprehensive framework for promoting violence prevention and interruption.

It also emphasizes the importance of collaboration and it states that meaningful change requires the involvement of people and organizations throughout Greensboro –  not just those related to law enforcement.

The entire document is available on the City of Greensboro’s website and it details the guiding philosophy, specific goals and timelines, as well as the metrics by which progress will be measured. While the plan is very broad in scope, it’s organized around three main strategies: (1) preventing violence before it occurs, (2) intervening when individuals are at elevated risk, and (3) interrupting cycles of violence already in existence.

One of the key priorities of the new plan is a strong investment in “upstream” approaches to safety – such as addressing the root causes of violence by promoting housing stability, youth development, mental health support and economic opportunity.

In addition, the plan outlines a goal of expanding access to services for those who are or who have been facing trauma, and an increase in funding for violence prevention programs that already have a proven track record in Greensboro.

One example is the “Violence Intervention and Prevention Initiative” – also known as “VIP” – which the city launched in recent years and which will continue to be supported and scaled up under the new safety plan.

The VIP team engages with people at high risk of violence and provides intense case management, mentorship and connection to anger management and other services. The city’s five-year safety plan aims to increase the capacity of programs like VIP and ensure that intervention workers are compatible with the communities they serve.

The best place to start when it come to creating a safe community is raising good kids so the ambitious plan focuses on youth engagement as one strategy: The plan, for instance, calls for creating more positive outlets and safe spaces for young people across the city, particularly in neighborhoods with high rates of violence. This part of the plan includes partnering with schools, recreation centers, and grassroots youth groups in order to promote mentorship, leadership development and career readiness.

Another major piece of the safety plan involves strengthening neighborhood resilience. The city will expand its efforts to support neighborhood-based safety planning, invest in community organizing, and develop a citywide network of “community safety connectors” – that is, trusted local leaders who act as liaisons between residents and service providers.

These connectors will play a key role in responding to community needs and hopefully prevent conflicts and issues from escalating into violence.

The Community Safety Department will serve as the central coordinating agency for these efforts, helping to break down silos between organizations and ensure that resources are deployed efficiently.

The department will also publish annual updates tracking the progress using key metrics such as reductions in gun violence, increased community engagement, and the number of people served by prevention programs.

McNeil emphasized that the plan wasn’t developed in a vacuum. Over the past year, her department hosted more than 20 community listening sessions and participated in dozens of neighborhood meetings to get feedback and hear directly from residents about the challenges they face. The plan’s action steps reflect that input, with a focus on solutions that are rooted in local experience and specifically tailored to Greensboro.

That community-first approach was evident at Monday’s event, where city residents mingled with city staff, nonprofit leaders, and elected officials to celebrate the launch of the plan. Attendees also enjoyed performances, food, and activities while learning about various safety initiatives and the ways they could get involved.

Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan, who attended the event, praised the plan as a forward-thinking and inclusive approach to public safety.

“We know that enforcement alone isn’t enough,” the mayor said. “We need to build trust, invest in our neighborhoods, and support people before they find themselves in crisis. This plan lays the foundation for that kind of work.”

The Greensboro Police Department is of course acting as a key partner in the effort. While the plan expands the definition of public safety beyond policing and crime, it also acknowledges the importance of effective and accountable law enforcement.

Some strategies include improving police-community relations, enhancing officer training in de-escalation and trauma-informed care, and supporting alternative response models for mental health and substance abuse calls.

Another component is the emphasis on data and evaluation. The city will develop a set of safety indicators that go beyond crime statistics to measure things like perceived safety, community connectedness and access to support services. These metrics will guide ongoing decision-making and they are meant to ensure transparency as the plan is implemented.

The 2025-2030 Comprehensive Community Safety Plan marks a shift toward a more collaborative, holistic, preventative approach to public safety. City leaders say they’re optimistic that this new strategy – grounded in cross-sector partnership—can lead to real and lasting change.

It you’re interested in reading the full plan or getting involved in the coming safety initiatives, you can find more information at https://user-kcmpnye.cld.bz/Community-Safety-Plan-2025-2030.

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