GREENVILLE, N.C. - Greenville Mayor Kandie Smith is proclaiming October 9-13 to be the Mayor's Community Policing Week in Greenville, an initiative aimed at highlighting some of the collaborative programs and policing practices in the city.

The week will include a resolution by the mayor, public meetings, awards, an overview of what to do in an active shooter situation, and more. Mayor Smith said the purpose of the week is to promote practices designed to advance public safety, strengthen police-community relations, and foster mutual trust and respect between law enforcement and citizens.

"One of my top priorities as mayor is strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and the community," Smith said. "In designating next week as the Mayor's Community Policing Week, it is my goal to generate dialogue, encourage cooperation, and help citizens and law enforcement recognize that they must work together if we are going to build a strong, safe community."

The week's activities will begin during the City Council meeting on Monday, October 9, at 6:00 PM in the Council Chambers of City Hall when Mayor Smith will issue a proclamation declaring the week to be the Mayor's Community Policing Week and present a resolution supporting the Greenville Police Department's practices surrounding issuing citations for low level offenses in lieu of arrests. The use of citation in lieu of arrest is a widespread and long-standing tool in American law enforcement, with nearly 87% of agencies engaged in the practice. Law enforcement agencies are using citations for nearly a third of all incidents, most often for disorderly conduct, theft, trespassing, driving under suspension, and possession of marijuana. In a recent study, the International Association of Chiefs of Police found many potential benefits of citation in lieu of arrest; including increased officer efficiency, enhanced community-police relations, increased officer and public safety, reduced criminal justice system costs, reductions in jail overcrowding, and diminished burdens on low-level offenders, who avoid arrest records and potential pretrial detention.

On Tuesday, October 10, Greenville Police will hold a Police Athletic League Open House event that will provide members of the community a chance to stop by either of the department's PAL after-school program sites at the South Greenville Recreation Center, 851 Howell Street, and the Eppes Recreation Center, 400 Nash Street, between 2:00 PM-4:00 PM to learn more about the program that utilizes educational, athletic and recreational activities to create trust and understanding between police officers and youth. It is based on the conviction that young people can develop strong positive attitudes toward police officers in their journey through life.

The Police Community Relations Committee will also participate in a joint meeting with the ECU Police Department on Tuesday, October 10, at 6:30 PM in the ECU Willis Building, 300 East First Street. The Police Community Relations Committee serves as a liaison between the community and police. Members of the committee serve as advocates for programs, ideas, and methods to improve relationships between the community and police.

The Greenville Police Department's new neighborhood officers will be the focus on Wednesday, October 11. A media event will be held from 12:00 PM-1:00 PM to provide more information about the department's six new neighborhood officers assigned to the City's three jurisdictional zones. The neighborhood officers' missions and goals align with common community policing philosophies in that they support systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate concerns that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime. Whether it is investigating neighborhood drug activity, addressing juvenile complaints, investigating a rash of car break-ins, teaching Crime Prevention through Environmental Design concepts, or working to eradicate vacant and abandoned properties - the GPD neighborhood officers do a little bit of everything.