GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Greensboro Police Officers Association is demanding action, claiming the department is "under attack".
It wants city leaders to support them after an officer-involved shooting this week.
"With us being down so many officers, it makes it much more challenging," Cody St. Pierre said.
St. Pierre is a Greensboro Police Officer and said there are dozens of openings at the department. He also said short staffing is making their jobs more dangerous.
"The problem is we are in constant competition with all surrounding agencies," St. Pierre said. "Over the past six months, we've had multiple instances of officers being assaulted."
As the President of the Greensboro Police Officers Association, he's calling on city leaders to do more to support their officers with violent crime on the rise.
Earlier this week, investigators said a man pointed a gun at an officer, after running away from a traffic stop.
The officer shot the suspect, who survived with non-life-threatening injuries.
In August, police said a man beat an officer and set fire to a patrol car in the police department's own parking lot. Officers shot and killed the suspect.
"When you're coming to work every day and people are trying to kill you, it's nice when the city you live in and you work in that you're showing support for you," St. Pierre said.
The city manager responded to the Police Officers Association in a letter to the city council saying he supports the department.
The letter points out the city raised the salary of new officers and is continuing to increase pay through the end of the year.
It's also looking at security recommendations made after the August shooting such as additional lighting, gated fences and security camera upgrades.
"Officers go out every day and put their lives on the line for us," Marikay Abuzuaiter said.
Abuzuiater is a city council member, endorsed by the police group. She thinks those changes along with more raises could retain and attract more officers.
"Certainly with the crime rate as it is right now, we need to be able to recruit officers," Abuzuiater said.
St. Pierre said it's not all about the money and more verbal support would go a long way.
"It would make a big deal especially to the guys who are out there every day doing it," St. Pierre said.
The police department is getting eight more officers as part of the city budget.