Greensboro police chief discusses recent shootings, violent crime

Greensboro's police chief says his department needs more staffing and resources. He addressed City Council after a challenging week that brought a string of violent crime and homicides.

Chief Brian James says even though City Council approved adding more positions to his department, it's not enough. He says Greensboro loses around 60 officers per year and it takes several months to train new hires.

He wants city leaders to consider approving recruitment and retention bonuses and other incentives. 

Greensboro is trending in the same direction as last year's record number of 63 homicides.

James says the department has been able to take more guns off the streets this year, but he says it will take a holistic approach in the community to make a real difference.

“Since January 1 of last year, we have had 108 homicides," he says. "Ninety-one of the 108 victims were African American and most of them look like me. That's the only way that I can put it in context. And it lets you know that there's something going on in our community and communities all across the country, but right here something is going on that we don't know how to fix right now.”

Greensboro City Council has asked James to update his strategic plan for the department. They will discuss those recommendations in December.

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