A project of LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute

Greensboro at a glance

Population by race and Hispanic origin

Cities in this database with the most similarly-sized populations

Full-time law enforcement staff, Greensboro Police Department

  • 569 Officers
  • 117 Civilian staff

Full-time law enforcement officers per 1,000 residents

  • 2.26 Greensboro
  • 2.4 National average, cities with 250,000+ population
  • 2.2 National average

These figures reflect the Greensboro Police Department only, and do not include state or other police agencies that may be present in this location.

Federal grant funding for Greensboro

Data was last updated March 26, 2023

We identified over $5.7M in federal grant funding, FY 2015-2025

Grant funding over time

Grant funding by federal department

Recent grants

USA spending grants for: Greensboro
Amount Start and end dates Recipient and description Awarding agency CFDA program Type
$249,998.00 10/1/2022
9/30/2025		 CITY OF GREENSBORO THE GREENSBORO POLICE DEPARTMENT HAS CREATED A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH RESPONSE TEAM TO RESPOND TO INCIDENTS INVOLVING PEOPLE ENDURING MENTAL HEALTH CRISES. THIS PROGRAM INVOLVES 6 OFFICERS WHO HAVE BEEN TRAINED TO HANDLE THE COMPLEXITIES INVARIABLY INVOLVED IN THIS TYPE OF RESPONSE. ALTHOUGH THE PROGRAM… Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program Prime
$3,000,000.00 3/15/2022
3/31/2025		 CITY OF GREENSBORO THE FY 2022 COPS OFFICE TECHNOLOGY AND EQUIPMENT PROGRAM (TEP) INVITATIONAL SOLICITATION IS AN INVITATION-ONLY GRANT PROGRAM DESIGNED TO DEVELOP AND ACQUIRE EFFECTIVE EQUIPMENT, TECHNOLOGIES, AND INTEROPERABLE COMMUNICATIONS THAT ASSIST IN RESPONDING TO AND PREVENTING CRIME. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO PR… Department of Justice Offices, Boards and Divisions 16.710 Public Safety Partnership and Community Policing Grants Prime
$297,844.00 10/1/2021
9/30/2025		 CITY OF GREENSBORO THE EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT (JAG) PROGRAM ALLOWS UNITS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT, INCLUDING TRIBES, TO SUPPORT A BROAD RANGE OF ACTIVITIES TO PREVENT AND CONTROL CRIME BASED ON THEIR OWN STATE AND LOCAL NEEDS AND CONDITIONS. GRANT FUNDS CAN BE USED FOR STATE AND LOCAL INITIATIVES, … Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program Prime
$295,666.09 10/1/2020
9/30/2024		 CITY OF GREENSBORO GUILFORD COUNTY 2021 JAG Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 16.738 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program Prime

View all grants

Military equipment transfers

We were unable to locate any military equipment transfers for this location using the LESO Property Transferred to Participating Agencies database published by the Defense Logistics Agency. It is possible that this location has acquired military equipment for policing via other sources or programs.

Local police misconduct data, consent decrees, and settlements

Data last updated July 10, 2025

Settlements

We identified 1 publicly reported settlement that resulted in $2,570,000.00 in monetary compensation to victims.

Settlements
Year Description Outcome
2022

In February 2022, the City Council of Greensboro, North Carolina, reached a $2.57 million settlement agreement with the family of Marcus Deon Smith, a thirty-eight-year-old man killed by police in 2018.

Smith was homeless and asked officers to take him to the hospital. While waiting for an ambulance to arrive, several officers threw Smith to the ground and hogtied him—restraining both his arms and legs and then binding them together. Smith was unable to breathe, cried out for help, and died shortly after. Smith’s family filed a lawsuit, leading to the $2.57 million settlement. City records revealed that seven of the eight officers involved in Smith’s case later received merit pay increases. 

Sources

Ian McDowell, "Seven of the eight GPD officers who hogtied Marcus Smith received merit raises", Yes Weekly, February 17, 2022

Blair Barnes, "Family of Marcus Smith to receive more than $2 million in lawsuit settlement", WF MY NEWS 2, February 02, 2022

Compensation
$2,570,000.00