The Victim Services Unit is housed under the Greensboro Police Department's Criminal Investigations Division. Victim support specialists assist victims of non-fatal shootings, aggravated assaults, robberies, and other violent crimes. They also work with families of homicide victims. While their tasks are varied, they mainly focus on helping victims navigate the criminal justice process, making counseling referrals, serving as a liaison between the victim and the detective, and assisting with victim compensation applications.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Meet The Team

Mary Nero

Mary started with the Greensboro Police Department in 2003. In her tenure as a sworn officer, she was a patrol officer and detective in the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) where she worked in the Family Victims Unit and the Homicide Unit. 

In 2017 Mary took an extended leave of absence but returned to GPD in 2020 as a professional staff member to become the City's first Victim Advocate assigned solely to the Homicide Unit.

Mary’s experience as a detective sets her up to uniquely serve victims and survivors with an understanding of investigative processes and community support programs.

In Mary’s spare time, she enjoys running the Greensboro's trails and greenways and whipping up fine home-cooked, Italian-American meals, which her husband really appreciates.

Learn more about Mary and her work here.

Tiara Washington

Tiara comes to Greensboro Police Department with a background in law enforcement. She served as a sworn officer with NC A&T State University’s Police department and hails from the Fayetteville, NC area. Tiara has a depth of interpersonal skills developed while working security at Walt Disney World and as a juvenile probation officer in Florida.

Tiara is a mother of two lively children and enjoys audiobooks in her few, but precious free moments.

For more information about the Victims Specialist Unit, please email or call Mary Nero at 336-580-2979.

Alaina Hebert

Alaina comes from a law enforcement background and worked at the Family Justice Center/Family Services of the Piedmont before taking a break to raise her family. 

She is now back in the public service profession and we’re happy to have her and her experience at the Greensboro Police Department. Alaina will be working with victims of violent crime: non-fatal shooting victims, robbery victims and family of homicide victims.