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Winston-Salem Police Department graduates 15 new officers, hopes to increase recruitment numbers

A class of new Winston-Salem police officers graduated and were sworn into duty. They had 15 new recruits, but the graduating total is usually about double.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — You see it and hear about it every day, crime is on the rise. Here in the Triad and across the country. Something is on the decline though, people wanting to protect and serve.

Law enforcement everywhere is having to do more with less. 

On Friday, a class of new Winston-Salem police officers graduated and were sworn into duty. They had 15 new recruits, but the graduating total is usually about double.

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"There are more folks on the streets, more folks talking to the community, there are more folks hearing from the community, so that's going to be a good thing as we fight this violent crime," Winston-Salem Assistant Police William Penn Jr. said.

Penn said the number of open positions is close to a hundred, so any additional officers make a big impact.

"It's no secret that violence is going the wrong way as far as the patterns go, our officers, they are working hard, they're tired, we need extra help out there, we need the community, the community needs us," Penn said.

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These newly sworn-in officers are ready to hit the streets and hope to offer change to the community, especially with the increase in violence. They also want to help with recruitment.

"I want to be able to reach out that hand to say, 'We're standing with you, we're here with you,' I hope I can bring that to the department, and I hope I can bring the citizens to the department, either wanting to recruit or be part of it, be part of the solution, any support groups or anything, I just really wanna be able to bridge that gap," Officer Danny Muhammad said.

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The Greensboro Police Department's most recent graduating class had 27 officers. The year before they had 17.

In High Point, they have around 30 open positions.

"In the 27 years that I've been here, I don't recall it being this high," Captain Patrick O'Toole with the High Point Police Department said. "Now factor in the fact that we've grown, we've been granted additional positions because the size of our city has expanded, the population has expanded, so there are some factors there that impact that number."

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