Property damage reports and false alarms major time drains for Greensboro police

There's been a steady rise in gun violence throughout the Triad over the past few years. The increase mirrors national trends that have led to finger-pointing over likely causes including guns, the pandemic, and protests. Another less-discussed challenge facing law enforcement is time.

New data shows the numbers of non-fatal shootings per 100,000 people in Greensboro, nearly doubling since 2018, putting added pressure on law enforcement to respond. According to police data analysts, officers spent roughly 3,000 hours on false alarms, and just over 15,000 processing property damage claims. Police Chief Brian James says it's time for change.

"They typically on an average year account as our third and fourth highest number of calls that we receive," says James. "And with staffing being an issue really across the law enforcement profession, we have to find a better way to utilize our time."

James says proposed legislation — House Bill 303 — would allow civilian crash investigative officers help process non-personal injury accidents. He's calling on alarm companies to provide some form of verification — like reviewing security camera footage —before dispatching officers. Last year just under 99% of the calls were false alarms.