Guilford County Sheriff Discusses Movement To 'Defund Police' At NAACP Meeting

Some Greensboro law enforcement officials are fielding questions about reforms proposed during recent racial justice protests. 

On Wednesday, representatives from the Greensboro Police Department, the Guilford County Sheriff's Office, and the Guilford County District Attorney's Office participated in a virtual panel discussion hosted by the Greensboro chapter of the NAACP.

“Defund the police” has been a rallying cry in recent racial justice protests. Activists say there is a need to shift money away from what they call bloated police budgets, and invest in anti-poverty efforts to address the root causes of crime. Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers was asked about the term during the meeting.

“You are putting people at risk, putting communities at risk when you start talking about defunding police. I believe that if you begin to start talking about that, you may want police reform in certain areas. I get it. But you need to make sure...I believe communities need to make sure that they specify what they mean.”

The Greensboro City Council is expected to release guidance outlining the specific law enforcement policy changes it supports at a meeting next Tuesday.