The Greenville, Mississippi Police Department (GPD) is the principal law enforcement agency for the City of Greenville. Greenville has a population of approximately 29,000 people and consistently has had a poverty rate of 20% or higher for the past 40 years. The city faces a multitude of systematic issues including concentrations of poverty, substandard housing, gang activity, limited mobility and transportation systems, and significant distrust between community members and law enforcement agencies. In recent years, Greenville has experienced a rising gun-related crime rate and a series of hot spot locations of assaults and other violent crimes.

The GPD hopes to address these issues by installing several cameras that will help law enforcement monitor hot spot locations around the city. The installation of these cameras is part of a larger community initiative known as the Greenville Safety Collaborative, a group of community leaders and stakeholders focused on restoring safety in Greenville’s Central Business District. The Greenville Safety Collaborative facilitates joint learning and trust building with residents and business owners and uses Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) training and practices to understand the impact of place and crime. The GPD makes recommendations to the collaborative on community-based approaches to policing, crime reduction, and neighborhood infrastructure conditions, while partners like the Greater Greenville Housing & Revitalization Association, Inc. and the Washington County Economic Alliance provide guidance on community outreach and engagement.