Contact: Elaine Tricoli
Phone: (336) 373-2421

 Robbery Suppression Unit Extended for 30 Days

GREENSBORO, NC – (June 24, 2008) – The Greensboro City Council this morning voted to continue funding the Police Department’s Robbery Suppression Unit for another 30 days.

The 12-member Robbery Suppression Unit was formed in November 2007 following a string of commercial robberies along Market Street. The goal of the unit was to decrease the number of commercial robberies occurring in the city by stopping them before they occurred.

At that time, City Council directed City Manager Mitchell Johnson to find $500,000 in the City’s budget to fund the salaries and overtime pay for officers in the unit and for officers who took over patrol duties for the robbery unit officers. Police Chief Tim Bellamy told Council members this morning that funding for the unit had been depleted.
 
Bellamy also noted that the Department’s nine-member Robbery Squad, which is a permanent unit within the Criminal Investigations Division, continues to be fully funded and continues to investigate all robberies that occur in the city.

Council members said they had received numerous calls from residents who encouraged them to continue funding the Robbery Suppression Unit. As a result, Council members asked the City Manager to find an additional $83,000 to continue funding the unit for 30 days.

Council members said they would revisit the issue of funding the unit after hearing recommendations from Carroll Buracker & Associates, the consultant hired to conduct a review of the Police Department. The consultant will present its findings to City Council on July 7.

Since its inception, the Robbery Suppression Unit has arrested 86 people, 74 of whom were charged with felonies.

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The City of Greensboro works in partnership with the community to build an increased quality of life for all residents by fostering an environment where inclusion, diversity, and trust are valued. As the seventh largest employer in Greensboro, the City has a dedicated professional staff of 2700 employees who maintain four core values of honesty, integrity, stewardship, and respect. The City of Greensboro is governed by a council-manager form of government where a mayor and eight council members act as the legislative body. For more information on the City of Greensboro, please visit us online at www.greensboro-nc.gov.