GREENSBORO, N.C. — Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan came and answered questions from the community Wednesday.
Vaughan discussed the city's plans to reduce crime in the city. The Greensboro Police Department installed a new Real Time Crime Center that it hopes will help them solve crimes quickly. When it opens, Mayor Vaughan said it will give law enforcement the ability to tap into thousands of cameras across the city. She encourages Greensboro business owners to sign up to be a part of the center so that their security cameras can provide another set of eyes to solve crimes quickly.
City and county leaders are considering a program to address gun violence, looking to implement a national mode called Cure Violence.
The model looks at violence as a disease or epidemic through a public health lens. By using a system of "interrupters," people who once were a part of the problem become the solution, by stopping the "transmission" of violence, and preventing further spread.
Another program involves Civilian Crash Investigation Teams. While this program doesn't directly help cut down on crime, these teams will allow sworn officers to focus more on crime calls.
"How often do you drive by a car accident and see three or four police officers out there directing traffic and writing reports? Their time could really be used at a higher priority call, so this will allow non-sworn individuals to take care of those duties," Vaughan said.
She said they won't be able to write tickets and they will only be responding to crashes without injury.
She also highlighted the city's behavioral health response team or B-HRT, they're specially trained to handle incidents involving mental illness. This group accompanies police and EMS on certain calls.
"Once the scene is secured, it allows police to step away and leave them with a caseworker, where they can truly get the help that they need whether it is addiction or mental health or whatever is she there having it's really heartbreaking that sometimes families have no other place to call except 911," Vaughan said.
The city also has a new loose leaf collection program for next year. In February, the 2023-24 loose-leaf collection will end. This will be the last time the City will use vacuum trucks to collect leaves roadside.
RELATED: Greensboro, this is your last year for leaf vacuum trucks! How to best tackle all your leaves.
Starting in March, residents must use only biodegradable paper bags for yard waste. No plastic bags will be accepted. The City will collect up to 10 bags per household per week.
Customers will get a free, 95-gallon, gray rolling cart for leaves and yard waste by the summer of 2024.
Mayor Vaughan says one of the best ways we all can help: if you see something, say something by reporting it to law enforcement.
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