Grants to help NC police tackle car thefts

GREENSBORO, N.C. – Nearly $4 million in federal grants awarded to the Greensboro Police Department will allow the agency to expand its workforce with 30 new officers, tackle auto theft and increase officers’ visibility downtown, according to Chief John Thompson.

The Cops Hiring Program, or CHP, a Justice Department initiative started two decades ago, helps identify needs and provides grants to strengthen police departments across the country.

According to the Greensboro Police Department, the $3.7 million infusion should cover 75% of the salaries of 30 new officers for about three years. The city will provide the balance, officials said. COPS donated $8.6 million to law enforcement agencies statewide, and Greensboro took the biggest piece of the pie.

“Our City Council and city leadership have fully supported our efforts to keep starting salaries competitive, which has made a significant difference in our ability to recruit and retain skilled officers. As a result of that support, we have approximately 30 cadets in the academy, and another 30 doing their field training after the academy,” Thompson said in a Thursday email.

“That leaves only thirteen vacancies for sworn positions. This grant will allow us to add thirty additional positions and better address some of the community’s concerns such as traffic and car-related crimes,” the chief said, explaining that he hoped to property, including weapons, from vehicles. , as well as the theft of vehicles.

“We are also looking at opportunities to use some of these new positions to increase our visibility in the downtown area, which continues to grow and attract new businesses.”

Downtown recently saw the shooting death of a homeless man outside the Interactive Resources Center on Washington Street, an agency that had helped the 25-year-old victim, police said.

New officers would join a force already 670 strong. Currently, there are about 13 officer vacancies, according to the Greensboro Police Department. According to news reports, the lowest vacancies since 2020.

Thompson, who became chief in 2022, was severely understaffed from the start. That year, the department was about 130 officers short of a full roster.

Now the department attracts and retains more officers in a hiring climate that is competitive throughout the region.

The starting salary for a police officer with the Greensboro Police Department is $57,220 if an officer is still in the police academy. After completing the academy, the annual salary is over $59,500. Information on when hiring will begin was not immediately available.

As of Oct. 17, Greensboro had tallied 34 homicides for the year so far, up from 54 in September 2023, data and news reports show.

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