How Feedback Improved Greensboro’s Traffic Safety

The Challenge

Like many urban centers, Greensboro, North Carolina, faces a range of public safety issues, with transportation and traffic safety being a prominent concern. As the city grows, ensuring that law enforcement effectively addresses these concerns while building community trust has become crucial. Data collected through Zencity’s Blockwise survey tool revealed that traffic-related issues were the top complaint in the community, signaling a need for focused police action. To tackle these concerns, Greensboro Police Chief John Thompson and his team sought to implement a more structured and responsive community feedback system.

The Solution

In response, the Greensboro Police Department partnered with Zencity to implement Blockwise, a  public survey tool designed to capture real-time resident sentiment on various community safety concerns. This partnership marked the first time a police department in North Carolina adopted this innovative technology. Blockwise enabled the department to collect input from a wide cross-section of the community, reaching those who may not typically engage with local government.

Through a citywide survey with over 500 residents, the department gathered essential data on community trust and safety scores, each scoring 69 out of 100. Additionally, open-ended survey questions allowed residents to voice their primary concerns. “Streets and traffic safety” emerged as the most pressing issue (36%), followed by theft, burglary, break-ins (19%), and violence (11%).

 

Recognizing the importance of addressing the traffic concerns, Greensboro PD launched a new initiative to reduce speeding and improve compliance with stop signs. This initiative included the creation of the ‘373-SLOW’ hotline, where residents could report traffic-related problems directly to the department.

“This is an opportunity for residents to communicate with officers in a way they haven’t had before. Officers can hear the voices of our local residents and can use feedback from their respective zones to better serve,”   said Greensboro Police Chief John Thompson.

The Impact

With ongoing feedback collected via Blockwise, the Greensboro Police Department was able to prioritize actions and allocate resources to directly address residents’ concerns, especially around transportation safety.

1. Enhanced focus on transportation safety:
Feedback revealed that traffic-related issues were a top concern across the city. In response, the department created the ‘373-SLOW’ hotline to allow residents to report traffic concerns in real-time. As Lieutenant F.R. Banks, who developed the initiative, explained:

“That information is collected, and depending on the volume and location of complaints, we can prioritize our response. If we receive 50 complaints from a specific area, that gives us the information we need to send resources there.”  This data-driven approach allowed the department to deploy officers to areas with the most pressing traffic issues, resulting in increased enforcement and visibility in those hotspots.

 

2. Data-driven decision-making:
The continuous stream of data from Blockwise allowed Greensboro PD to address residents’ concerns more effectively. By monitoring changes in sentiment and tracking where complaints were concentrated, the department could assess the success of their interventions and make necessary adjustments, ensuring resources were used efficiently.

3. Strengthened community trust:
Greensboro PD’s efforts to close the feedback loop by notifying residents about the actions taken based on their input helped strengthen relationships with the community. The public responded positively to the department’s transparency and responsiveness, resulting in an overall improvement in police-community relations.

“We don’t just listen to our residents; we act on what they share. Blockwise provides us with the insights we need to focus on the issues that matter most to our community,” – John Thompson. Greensboro Police Chief

The Greensboro Police Department’s partnership with Zencity has proven invaluable in shaping a more responsive, transparent, and effective approach to community policing.

By leveraging Blockwise, the department continues to enhance community trust, allocate resources more efficiently, and address key safety concerns in Greensboro. The introduction of the ‘373-SLOW’ hotline further demonstrates Greensboro PD’s commitment to addressing the community’s top concerns in real time, improving both traffic safety and overall public trust.