GREENSBORO VIOLENT CRIME DOWN

Greensboro reported the biggest drop in violent crime from 2002 to
2003 among the state's biggest cities and a smaller increase in
property crime than most, according to FBI crime statistics released
this week.

Violent crimes -- rape, robbery, aggravated assault and homicides
including murder and manslaughter -- decreased about 6 percent in
Greensboro as the state's five other cities with populations over
100,000 posted a 2 percent decrease on average, according to the FBI.
And property crime -- which includes burglary, larceny, car theft and
arson -- increased 2 percent while it increased an average of 19
percent in the state's five other major cities.

Like most cities nationwide, Greensboro saw an increase in homicides
even though overall violent crime went down.

Nationwide, violent crime dropped 3 percent in 2003 from 2002 while
homicides increased 1 percent. Greensboro reported 36 homicides to the
FBI last year, marking a 29 percent increase from 2002. Three other
killings in 2003 do not fit the FBI's definition of a homicide.

Capt. Gary Hastings, who heads the Greensboro police department's
criminal investigations division, attributes the increase in killings
to a proliferation in drug activity citywide.

"If you look at most of the homicides last year, you just had the
right combination. ... You had people that were out late at night,
possibly using alcohol or drugs, out with the wrong people and things
escalated," Hastings said. "Why they didn't wound more people, I
really don't have an answer for that."

Drugs played a direct role in only three of last year's homicides, but
they played an indirect role in more than two-thirds of them, police
said.

Gloria Rankin, president of the Smith Homes Residents Council, has
seen effects of the city's drop in violent crime firsthand.

Police investigated 28 robberies in the area surrounding Smith Homes
in 2002 -- the most of any policing zone in the city. Last year, 11
robberies were reported.

Rankin works at her neighborhood's resource center two days a week.

"That's all I would hear, 'Did you hear so-and-so getting robbed or
so-and-so getting broke into," Rankin said. "I don't hear that as much
anymore."

One rape was reported in Smith Homes last year, compared with three in
2002, according to police records. One less assault was reported in
the area.

Rankin credits the drop in crime to a decrease in open drug sales in
the area. Neighbors have become more willing to call police when they
see drug deals, and police have responded with more presence, she said.

"(Dealers) don't hang around as much anymore," Rankin said.

One man was killed in the Smith Homes housing complex last year, the
same number as 2002. A woman's body was found in woods behind the complex.

Rankin has one theory to explain why homicides surged when overall
violent crime went down.

"Folks are not doing a whole lot of arguing and fighting these days,"
Ranking said. "Nowadays, they'll just shoot you."

Hastings said the department is seeing signs that a new citywide unit
to fight street drug sales is having an impact on crime. Police
investigated eight homicides so far this year, compared to 15 at this
point last year.

Hastings noted it has been seven weeks since the city's last homicide.

"They're out there seven days a week hitting hot spots, doing drug
enforcement, doing weapon enforcement," Hastings said. "Right now,
it's a little too early to draw a direct correlation, but it's looking
good."