Winston-Salem Police Department
| Winston-Salem Police Department | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Abbreviation | WSPD |
| Agency overview | |
| Formed | 1913 |
| Preceding agencies |
|
| Employees | 732 (559 Officers, 173 civilian) (2017)[1][2] |
| Annual budget | $80.3 million (2022)[3] |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction | Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States |
| Governing body | Winston-Salem City Council |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | 725 North Cherry Street Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27101 |
| Sworn members | 559 (2017)[2] |
| Unsworn members | 173 (2017)[2] |
| Agency executive |
|
| Units | List
|
| Commands | List
|
| Facilities | |
| Districts | 3 |
| Website | |
The Winston-Salem Police Department (WSPD) is the primary law enforcement agency serving Winston-Salem, North Carolina. As of 2017, the department employed 559 sworn officers and 173 civilian employees.[2] WSPD serves the fifth-most populous city in North Carolina and operates across the city's approximately 133.8 square miles (347 km²), which are divided into three patrol districts.
The department is led by the Chief of Police, who is assisted by four assistant chiefs. The chief reports to the Winston-Salem assistant city manager and the Winston-Salem City Council. Since January 2023, the department has been headed by Chief William H. Penn, Jr.
History
WSPD was formed in 1913 following the merger of the cities of Winston and Salem. As part of the consolidation, the Winston Police Department and Salem Police Department were also unified into a single municipal law enforcement agency.
In 1967, racial unrest erupted in Winston-Salem after a black man was struck and killed by a white police officer. Rioting began following the man's funeral on November 2 and continued into the following day. The Winston-Salem Police Department and the North Carolina National Guard responded to the disturbances.[4] At the time, The New York Times described the unrest as "the worst outbreak of racial violence in North Carolina in this century."[5]
In October 2018, a Winston-Salem police officer assigned as a school resource officer at Hanes Magnet School was accused of using excessive force against a female student during an on-campus incident.[6] Body camera footage of the encounter was released by court order the following month in accordance with North Carolina law governing law enforcement recordings.[7] The footage showed the officer repeatedly instructing the student to stop and speak with him before physical force was used.[8] An independent review later concluded that the officer had not violated department policy and commended his de-escalation efforts.[9][10]
During the nationwide protests following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, demonstrations in Winston-Salem remained largely peaceful. Police Chief Catrina Thompson addressed demonstrators in civilian clothing and publicly expressed support for peaceful protest efforts. Community organizers, local businesses, and law enforcement officials coordinated during the demonstrations, and the city's response received attention from state and local leaders.[11][12]
References
- ↑ Haywood, Najla. "The Winston-Salem Police Department: "It's Just like Breathing Everyday"". cops.usdoj.gov. COPS Office. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 Najla, Haywood. "The Winston-Salem Police Department: "It's Just like Breathing Everyday"". cops.usdoj.gov. Archived from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ↑ YOUNG, WESLEY. "Winston-Salem approves budget for 2021-22 with 61.24 cent tax rate". journalnow.com. Winston-Salem Journal. Archived from the original on 30 June 2021. Retrieved 26 May 2022.
- ↑ "RACIAL OUTBREAK IN WINSTON-SALEM; Guard Called After Negroes Set Fires in Carolina City". The New York Times. 3 November 1967. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ↑ "RIOTING RESUMES IN WINSTON-SALEM; Curfew and Guard Defied, but Trouble Is Scattered". The New York Times. 4 November 1967. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ↑ Balogun, Rilwan. "Winston-Salem Police Investigating Altercation at Hanes Magnet Middle School". Spectrum News. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- ↑ "Judge orders police to release body-cam footage of controversial middle school arrest to the public". KBZM. 7 November 2018. Archived from the original on 16 November 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- ↑ Hewlett, Michael; Hinton, John; Newell, Sarah (9 November 2018). "Bodycam video shows officer told teenage girl in Winston-Salem to stop 17 times before arrest". The Winston-Salem Journal. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- ↑ "No criminal charges for deputy seen dragging SC high school student in video". CBS. 5 October 2016. Archived from the original on 28 May 2022. Retrieved 5 May 2026.
- ↑ "Body-Cam Video Shows SRO Handcuff, Arrest 14-Year-Old at Hanes Magnet Middle School". WFMY. 9 November 2018. Archived from the original on 17 May 2019. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ↑ Dickey, Bronwen (15 October 2020). "How One Police Chief Kept Her City from Blowing Up This Summer". Politico. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
- ↑ Denyer, Lee Anne (27 July 2020). "Winston-Salem protesters march through downtown Tuesday evening". WXII. Archived from the original on 6 March 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2022.