Greensboro Police Foundation

Our overarching goal is to make Greensboro a safer community to live, work, and visit. We can accomplish this goal by helping our city's police department realize its vision of becoming a national model of exceptional policing. We have identified specific goals within each critical area of support.

1. We strive to equip officers and employees of the police department with cutting-edge tools and technology that prevent and fight crime. We will help provide access to training and education in police best practices.

2. We will help provide officers with equipment to do their jobs safely. We will support programs and activities that promote officers' well-being. We will recognize officers and employees that have demonstrated outstanding police work.

3. We will support police department outreach programs that are designed to strengthen the relationship between the department and the communities they serve. We will be visible advocates of the Greensboro Police Department.

There are two key strategies that we use to accomplish our goal: fundraising and collaboration. The Greensboro Police Foundation is a fundraising organization. In order to accomplish our goals, we need to raise the funds that will be used to purchase the goods and services called for in our three critical areas of support. The second strategy is collaboration. The Greensboro Police Foundation collaborates closely with the leadership of the Greensboro Police Department to determine how to spend the funds that we raise. We place our trust in these law enforcement professionals that our financial contributions will be used in the pursuit of exceptional policing as they see fit.

One of the Greensboro Police Foundation's greatest assets is its Board of Directors, a group of 27 civic and business leaders that actively support the mission of the organization. These volunteers bring to the table their vast experience in industries such as law, education, healthcare, and municipal government. They have many strong connections to Greensboro's philanthropic community, and are able to passionately communicate the value of contributions made to the Greensboro Police Foundation.

Our strong relationship with the Greensboro Police Department is also fundamental to our success. We have followed through on our commitments to the department time and again. We have earned the department's trust that we are sincere advocates and as good as our word. In turn, we trust the department to navigate the complicated terrain of law enforcement and make requests for assets that will add high value to their capabilities. It's a productive partnership that both agencies work hard to maintain.

We are proud of many accomplishments within our three critical areas of support.

1. Equipment, Training and Technology
-We purchased 125 body cameras. Greensboro became the first major US city to outfit its entire patrol force with body cameras.
-We purchased a new Mobile Command Center which is deployed for multi-day investigations, crisis scenarios, disaster relief, and community outreach.
-We purchased a state-of-the-art Firearms Training Simulator that trains officers to make split-second decisions on the appropriate use of force when presented with real-life scenarios.
-We purchased a state-of-the-art urban response vehicle that can safely navigate the streets of downtown Greensboro, especially during events that draw large crowds to the area.

2. Officer Safety, Wellness and Recognition
-We sponsor the Memorial Flower Fund, sending plant and flower arrangements for the memorial services of retired and active police officers and close family members of GPD officers and employees.
-We host three Recognition Luncheons every year, honoring the outstanding work of officers and employees.
-We purchased fitness equipment for the fitness center at Police Headquarters.
-We purchase food and beverages for various police activities and events.
-We sponsor the Sgt. William White Memorial Scholarship. Every year, this program grants at least one $1,000 scholarship to the child of a current Greensboro Police Department officer or employee who is attending an accredited college or university.

3. Community Partnerships and Advocacy
-We purchased K9 Porter, a therapy Aussiedoodle who is the mascot of the Students Overcoming Situations (SOS) program. The SOS program puts officers in elementary-school classrooms where they teach students about safety and character trait development.
-We help fund Operation Yuletide, a program where the police department provides gifts and basic necessities for vulnerable families in our community.
-We built a second site of Safety Town in Greensboro. Safety Town is a kids-sized village of structures and roads where Greensboro Police Department School Resource Officers teach five- and six-year-old children learn lessons on many types of safety including traffic safety, fire safety, and water safety.
-We are a part of Community Connectors, a coalition of organizations that are working to address the underlying causes of violent crime in two ZIP codes of Greensboro that are experiencing the highest rates of violent crime.

As policing evolves, we will collaborate with the Greensboro Police Department to determine the best way forward. We will sustain, modify, or sunset programs after careful reflection and evaluation. Requests for equipment and technology will be assessed according to the framework of our mission. We will continue to be the Greensboro Police Department's steadfast partner in making Greensboro safer for all people.