Councilmember Justin Outling got the attention of his fellow members of City Council with a video he posted on Facebook and an email to fellow councilmembers about the need for immediate action by the City Council to deal with violent crime.
Three members of the council used their “council comment” time at the end of the virtual meeting on Tuesday, March 16 to go after Outling, but not by name, and attempt to refute his charge of inaction by the City Council.
Councilmember Marikay Abuzuaiter talked about all the ride-alongs with police officers she had made and community meetings she had attended.
She also said, “One thing very specifically I heard was we haven’t given the chief and the Police Department the tools he needs and I beg to differ on that.”
She said, “I want to read off the things that he said he needed that we have done. He said he wanted supplemental staffing for patrol, investigative and forensics. We did that. Add five detectives to criminal investigation, did that. Full time homicide program technician, yes. Have the victim advocate go from 20 hours to 40 hours. We did that.
She added, “This is all in December.”
According to the minutes of the City Council meeting, the City Council did none of those things. None of them required City Council action. Police Chief Brian James in the work session on Dec. 7, 2020 was telling the City Council the actions he planned to take with the approval of City Manager David Parrish.
But none of those requests required City Council action and in fact after the Dec. 7 meeting the City Council took no action to assist the Police Department at the next City Council meeting on Dec. 15.
A department head in the City of Greensboro does not require City Council approval to reassign staff.
Mayor Nancy Vaughan also talked about the ride-alongs with police officers she had made and how she was getting information from the police officers out on the front line.
Councilmember Sharon Hightower talked about how interested she was in the Police Department and holding community meetings.
The point Outling made in his video is that the City Council has not taken action to increase salaries, increase the number of authorized police officers or other action to try and reduce violent crime.
Individual councilmembers and even the mayor have no authority to take action on their own. It is only as a body that the City Council has the authority to spend money or change policy.
The video that Outling posted on his Facebook page clearly makes the point that what he is talking about is the inaction of the City Council as the governing body of Greensboro. He noted that individual members of the City Council did have an interest in the Police Department but that interest has not translated into action by the City Council despite the ever increasing rate of violent crime.
Outling’s video and email did have an impact because on Tuesday, March 16. A City Council work session on crime was scheduled for Tuesday, March 23. It will be the first work session on crime this year and the third in the past two years.
“Just in Time” Justin should be his moniker for his run at Mayor, and I don’t wat any credit for it if he decides to use it. We need a forward and clear thinking man like Justin to steer our city council in the right direction.
Council member Abuzuaiter has no problem with her husband speeding around New Garden road with an illegally purchased and illegally concealed weapon (and getting off with a much lesser consequence) while she was a sitting council member and police informant. Mayor Vaughan’s daughter (the one that convinced Mandate Mayor Mom to ban gun shows at the coliseum because it’s scary…also illegal to ban legal sales) also had a well known underage, unsupervised party in Greensboro with dozens of underage drinkers. ….somehow no charges?
When Mandate Mayor and her cabal want panhandlers outta sight or buskers rounded up they love the police to act a security forces for the oligarchs that fund our councils lives and campaigns. Folks like our Mandate Mayor are all hot air and zero results…..unless you are a donor……
I see no purpose in faulting Councilperson Abuzuaiter with something that she did not have a part of, and in fact it was later determined that her husband was not in violation, but then, the lame stream media did not report that. I personally think that Councilperson Abuzuaiter is the one breath of fresh air on the City Council. She has made great efforts to promote the Greensboro Police Department, but as noted in the above article, she is powerless to do it on her own. It takes a majority of the council, and it is widely known that many on the council, including the Mayor, have all of the needed items on the Chief’s agenda on the back burner.
Where’s Ralph Kramden when you need him?
Bang! Zoom! To the moon!
If Justin or any other council member wants the council to take action, make a motion for them to vote it up or down.
A big problem here is that so few people will know about this issue,Outling’s comments,and the flabby gabby response from councilmembers.
I hope Outling is the next mayor,but other than much higher visibility,he will still have to contend with with the herd.
It is a pitiful scenario.
I predict re-elections will send Greensboro over the edge.
Other than Justin, this council has been a dismal failure on everything. Please, people of Greensboro, drain this swamp and elect some people that at least have half a brain.
Let it all out, just in time . All this needs to be known by us voters.
An interesting read. I commit to you that Public Safety will be a top priority for me in the upcoming campaign. Unlike what you have now. Tony Wilkins for City Council 2021.
Rhino is any of this true?
ALEX on March 17, 2021 at 7:06 AM
Council member Abuzuaiter has no problem with her husband speeding around New Garden road with an illegally purchased and illegally concealed weapon (and getting off with a much lesser consequence) while she was a sitting council member and police informant. Mayor Vaughan’s daughter (the one that convinced Mandate Mayor Mom to ban gun shows at the coliseum because it’s scary…also illegal to ban legal sales) also had a well known underage, unsupervised party in Greensboro with dozens of underage drinkers. ….somehow no charges?
When Mandate Mayor and her cabal want panhandlers outta sight or buskers rounded up they love the police to act a security forces for the oligarchs that fund our councils lives and campaigns. Folks like our Mandate Mayor are all hot air and zero results…..unless you are a donor……
In February 2014 Isa Abuzuaiter was stopped for speeding on New Garden Road and after police searched the car, he was charged with two counts of possession of a concealed gun and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. All the gun charges were dismissed by the District Attorney and Abuzuaiter paid the fine for speeding.
In December 2016 Don Vaughan was cited for contributing to the delinquency of minors after police received complaints about a party at Don Vaughan’s house on Sunset Drive and found 40 or 50 teenagers and signs of alcohol consumption. Don Vaughan said he had planned a “Sweet Sixteen” party for his daughter and uninvited guests arrived evidently with alcohol.
Don and Nancy Vaughan were separated at the time and the charge against Don Vaughan was dismissed for lack of evidence.
The truth will set you free.
It certainly doesn’t hurt to have your wife a sitting council person and don vaughan is a very high profile attorney just proves again it’s not what you know but who you know just ask former council person bellamy small who got a speeding charge dropped while on the council or mandate mayor who got the city to pay for her deposition fees but the same city won’t pay for former police chief Wrays legal fees. What a Crock
This kind of policing of thee but not me is a major reason for everthing from escalating crime, riots , and voter apathy. When our elected officials and their circle are treated and punished and rewarded differently it is time to clean house and investigate why someone with an illegal gun illegally concealed can walk with a speeding ticket fine but GPD will tackle jaywalkers, pepper spray minors at public Fun Fourth , and hogtiefolks asking for mental medical aid. Lots of “good ole boy” network is now “progressive oligarch ” network.
Get over it alex
If you can do better apply go to the police academy get a job and put your money where your mouth is
All of Outling’s talk is just rhetoric unfortunately. If he wanted to make substantive changes, he has no need to wait until he’s the mayor. As a councilmember he could propose changes now and put them up for a vote. He’s just blowing “elect me” smoke. While even my pet rock would make a better mayor than the current one, don’t let his sudden words of support let you forget that he isn’t actually doing anything to support GPD right now.
It takes five votes on the City Council to do anything. Without five votes all a councilmember can do is talk.
But he could propose something and that has yet to happen.