City of Greensboro issued the following announcement on Oct. 10.
The Office of Community Safety (OCS) is now working to create a community-centered and safe Greensboro for all residents and visitors. This new office, which became official in September, has been on the drawing board for several months under the guidance of Trey Davis, assistant city manager for public safety. Organizationally, OCS falls under the City Manager’s Office.
“OCS is the result of conversations and community input about the need for a non-conventional or alternative approach to traditional policing,” said Davis. “This is an example of the City’s willingness to think outside of the public safety tool box in an effort to be more efficient and responsive.”
Managing OCS is Latisha McNeil, who since joining the City in 2019 has served as criminal justice administrator with the Greensboro Criminal Justice Advisory Commission (GCJAC). GCJAC is one of four sections of OCS. The other three are:
• Behavioral Health Response Team (BHRT)
• Violence Prevention – estimated start date is January 2023
• Law Enforcement Assistance Diversion (LEAD) – estimated start date is January 2023
“The Office of Community Safety sets the foundation to convene police, community, and City leadership to discuss crime, mental health, and the root causes of violence,” said McNeil. “This invites each stakeholder to be an active participant in solving problems that impact the entire community.”
Read more about OCS’ values, objectives, and strategies, as well as its vision and mission statements at www.greensboro-nc.gov/OCS.
Original source can be found here.
