Staffing crisis means Durham police officers sometimes told not to enforce laws
The Durham Police Department is stretched so thin that supervisors are sometimes telling patrol officers not to enforce certain laws.
"Just go to the 911 calls, because we don’t have the manpower to support proactivity," one officer told WRAL News to describe the orders patrol units are being given on some days.
Examples of "proactivity" officers are told to forgo include checking city parks at night for trespassing or suspicious activity and stopping a driver for running a red light.
"If we witness something not deemed a violent crime or in-progress crime, we are told to leave it alone," a second officer told WRAL.
They expressed concern over the orders, saying proactive policing helps prevent crime and not enforcing laws simply looks bad publicly.
Ashley Canady, a community organizer fighting violence in Durham for years, said police need to be proactive to keep the community safe.
"It really does cut down on a lot of things that’s going on," Canady said Friday. "Now, I’m kind of scared myself. Like, what in the world is going on in Durham?"
Police Chief Patrice Andrews told the Durham City Council on Thursday that 13 percent of the department's positions are vacant, up from 7 percent a year ago. Through the first 11 months of the year, 24 officers have retired, and another 36 have resigned, with most leaving for jobs with other law enforcement agencies, she said.
The department is so short-staffed that, starting in January, Andrews and other high-ranking managers will start riding patrol themselves to ensure an adequate number of officers on the streets.
A spokesperson for Andrews confirmed Friday that supervisors have occasionally directed officers "to not conduct proactive activity when they have low staffing levels," adding that it was "specific to traffic enforcement for minor traffic violations."
The two officers who spoke with WRAL disputed that, saying the orders went beyond enforcing traffic laws.
"It should be noted that there are still numerous specialized units within the Durham Police Department that continue to do traffic enforcement and proactivity separate and apart from uniform patrol," the spokesperson said in an email to WRAL. "So, while patrol officers, in particular, may be tasked with answering 911 calls, our specialized units continue to support proactive work in an effort to keep our community safe."
Asheville police stopped responding to minor crimes in June because of staffing problems in that department. Some detectives have been rotated into Asheville's patrol units, and the department has hired a recruiting firm for nationwide searches for officers.
Canady said more police are needed on the streets in Durham.
"Durham is out of control right now, and something needs to be done to bring it back under control," she said. "Kids are getting shot. People are in their homes getting shot. You go into the mall now and you’re not safe. Durham needs the police officers right now until we can get Durham back under control."
The City Council is expected to review a study next month showing how Durham police officer compensation compares to what other cities pay their officers. Officers said pay increases are needed, as morale in the police department is very low.
