Page 36 - 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report - City of Winston-Salem

Thanks to the 2014 bond referendum,
three new re stations have been
constructed, including STATION 8.

PUBLIC SAFETY

Public safety services for the community are provided by stations have been constructed, and designs are being drawn
professional police, re, emergency medical service and for renovations to the Public Safety Center, which will continue to
emergency management departments. All public safety serve as the main location for the WSPD’s administrative o ces.
agencies in the city and county as well as departments that The 2014 bond also included funds to replace, renovate or
operate key infrastructure, such as transportation and utilities, expand three aging facilities of the Winston-Salem Fire
are connected through a seamless 900 MHz radio system.
Department (WSFD). Led by Chief William “Trey” Mayo, the
The Winston-Salem Police Department (WSPD) marked the WSFD serves the community by providing a timely response
appointment of its 15th Chief of Police in 2017. Chief Catrina to calls involving re and situations necessitating rescue. The
A. Thompson assumed her duties Sept. 1 after the retirement of City of Winston-Salem has 19 re stations strategically located
Chief Barry Rountree. Thompson is a 24-year veteran of the WSPD, throughout the city. The stations are located to provide
most recently serving as the assistant chief in charge of the maximum coverage with an average response time of under
Investigative Services Bureau. She previously served in the Patrol four minutes.
Division, Recruiting Unit, Training Division and the Criminal The department strives for the prevention of unwanted res
Investigations Division. She leads a department with 559 sworn through enforcing re codes, arson investigation activities,
o cers and 173 civilian positions, and an annual budget of and community outreach. The WSFD conducts a four-week
$74.5 million.
Citizens Fire Academy that educates participants about
A major goal of the Police Department is to improve the ghting and preventing res, and allows them to handle a re
interaction and trust between police and citizens of all ages hose and re extinguisher and ride along with a re crew
and walks of life. The WSPD provides one school resource during a shift. The Fire Department also conducts re safety
o cer for every middle and high school within the corporate inspections, reviews construction plans, investigates re scenes
limits of the City. Another initiative, “Co ee with a Cop,” allows and issues re-inspection permits.
citizens to talk one-on-one with o cers at local co ee shops. The local Office of Emergency Management coordinates
The P2C (Police to Citizen) website allows citizens to view activities within Winston-Salem and Forsyth County that
police records, search for speci c incidents, get crash reports, contribute to the mitigation, preparedness, response, and
and easily submit an online report.
recovery of disasters. The o ce responds 24 hours a day
In a move to provide better policing, the WSPD is transitioning to disasters or potential disasters and is responsible for
to a system in which most patrol o cers will be housed in assisting private industry and the public with management of
three full-service district stations instead of one main station. hazardous materials.
Thanks to the 2014 bond referendum, three new district

30 2018 AN NUAL R E P O R T