News-Record.com

Wednesday's lead editorial.

The Greensboro City Council made a sensible decision Tuesday morning, voting to continue a successful police initiative — at least until a better plan comes along.

Police created a temporary robbery suppression unit after the council directed City Manager Mitchell Johnson in December to shift $500,000 from other city funds. The 12-member squad, focusing on commercial robberies, has made a difference, compiling an impressive number of arrests and solved crimes.

A good example occurred earlier this month on West Market Street in an area that drew special attention from the unit. An officer observed three men cover their faces and enter a convenience store just after midnight, where they allegedly took money and merchandise at gunpoint. The officer and a backup waited for them to come out and arrested two of the suspects. Although the third escaped, police recovered everything that was stolen plus a firearm.

It’s much less likely that routine patrolling or responding to a call for help would have produced the same result.

Despite its record, the robbery suppression unit was due to be disbanded after funding runs out at the end of this month. It was intended as a temporary measure, and it was expensive.

Members were drawn from other duties, and their places were filled by officers called on to work overtime — at higher pay rates. In addition to the financial strain, this creates a fatigue factor. Nevertheless, the council decided Tuesday to push the envelope for at least another month at a cost of $83,000. Doing otherwise might have opened the door to an increase in robberies. In fact, police Chief Tim Bellamy said as much.

The additional month keeps the unit operating until after the council receives a consultant’s report in early July about police operations. At that time, city leaders might get a clearer picture of where resources should be concentrated and how to increase effectiveness.

What police already know is that special emphases pay off. The gang unit formed last year is getting results, and it’s been fully funded in the new budget. The robbery suppression team also has been effective, but whether it continues to operate probably will depend on how it rates against other priorities.

Ideally, any police initiative that is reducing crime will be extended, but resource limitations inevitably mean that some efforts have to be curtailed. In any case, if the special squad ever gains permanent status, it can’t be funded by paying other officers overtime to fill gaps elsewhere.

Police have endless demands, including the need to create effective prevention programs. They’ll never have enough manpower to accomplish everything the public wants. But they’ve shown they can reduce crime when they’re able to concentrate resources to address specific problems. Leaders should use the next few weeks to figure out the next smart thing to do.