2022 Annual Report
The Greensboro Police Foundation operated through the pandemic years with limited disruption to programming that supports the Greensboro Police Department (GPD); yet, we are grateful that a sense of normalcy has been restored in our city as we have been able to gather in person. We promote the well-being of not only police officers, but also of the communities they serve, and as we have all learned, there is no substitute for coming together.
Safety Town at Barber Park welcomed its first campers this past summer. Over 100 children participated in the program, while dozens of teen volunteers earned hours toward their service-learning diplomas. Fifteen school resource officers led the campers through a 20-hour curriculum over two weeks. Each day, they focused on a new topic including pedestrian safety, train safety, EMS, fire safety, gun safety, water safety, and playground safety. The campers learned their addresses and telephone numbers, and got to know police officers as community helpers. The highlight was learning the rules of the road and traffic safety as they zipped around the kid-sized village on pedal go-karts.
This year saw the return of The Blue Salute after a 2½-year hiatus. The Blue Salute is our annual signature fundraising event featuring live music, dining, dancing, and opportunities to learn about the technology and equipment that the GPD uses to prevent and fight crime. The Blue Salute 2022 was an outstanding success; we raised $165,000 for the police foundation including funds to purchase 60 pedal go-karts for Safety Town at Barber Park.
In May, we awarded our first-ever Sergeant William White Memorial Scholarships to three high school seniors who are children of GPD officers or employees. These young adults and their families joined us at the annual Police & Citizens’ Awards Banquet where they were recognized for their achievement. The police foundation was also proud to be a platinum-level sponsor of the awards banquet.
In July, we hosted GPF at the Ballpark at First National Bank Field. This year, we gave out Greensboro Grasshoppers game tickets to 260 officers and family members; each ticket came with an additional $10 in Babe’s Bucks to spend throughout the park. We also partnered with the Greensboro Science Center (GSC) which donated 1,500 GSC day passes to the GPD and the Greensboro Fire Department.
In late October, we partnered with the Guilford Merchants Association to provide dinner to officers who were activated for A&T Homecoming, one of the biggest assignments of the year for the GPD. We distributed 400 hot meals provided by Stamey’s Barbecue.
In November, we held our first Quarterly Recognition Luncheon, a program that was paused for nearly three years. The event was held at the Sheraton Greensboro at Four Seasons. We honored thirty officers who were nominated by their commanding officers for exceptional performance. It is a thrill to revive this program that is so appreciated by the rank and file of the GPD.
The Greensboro Police Foundation is one of several organizations who have partnered with the GPD to form Community Connectors. The mission of Community Connectors is to effect change in Greensboro ZIP codes impacted by high rates of violent crime. They address the underlying factors that lead to violent crime such as food and housing insecurity and unemployment. We are proud to support the GPD’s crime prevention strategies that promote the holistic well-being of our communities.
We are grateful that we were able to gather in person this past year. It restored a level of impact to our work that had been lost during the pandemic years. Armed with a renewed sense of possibility, we stand ready to support John Thompson as he begins his tenure as Chief of the Greensboro Police Department. Together, we can make great things happen in 2023.