Greensboro Police awarded nearly $4M in grant to hire 30 more officers, beef up patrols

GREENSBORO— Nearly $4 million in federal grant funds awarded to the Greensboro Police Department will allow the agency to bolster its workforce with 30 new officers, according to details from the Cops Hiring Program that awarded the money.

The Cops Hiring Program, or CHP, a Department of Justice initiative begun twenty years ago, helps pinpoint need and directs grants to beef up police forces around the country.

The $3.7 million infusion to the GPD should cover 75% of 30 new officers' salaries for roughly three years, according to the GPD. The city will take care of the balance, officials said.

New officers would join a force already 670-strong. Currently there are about 13 vacancies for officers, the GPD said, the lowest vacancies have been since before 2020, according to news reports.

Thompson, who became chief in 2022, was seriously understaffed from the start. That year, the department was about 130 officers short of a full roster.

Under Thompson's leadership, though, the force has retained and attracted more officers in a hiring climate that is very competitive across the region. The city has also seen violent crime decrease, as well as the homicide rate this year, records show.

The starting salary for a police officer with the Greensboro Police Department (GPD) is $57,220 during the Police Academy. After completing the academy, the annual salary is over $59,500.

By Oct. 17, Greensboro, had counted 34 homicides for the year so far, compared to 54 at this same in Sept. 2023, records and news reports show.

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