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GREENSBORO — The police department will reorganize its patrol and investigative support divisions over the next few weeks to accommodate a new gang unit, which will eventually have 20 members.

For now, the manpower will come from within the department, with officers shifting from the Community Resource Teams and Tactical Special Enforcement Teams to two new gang enforcement squads.

"There are some impacts, but they are short-term impacts for a very positive long-term gain," Assistant Chief D.K. Crotts said.

Until now Greensboro had one full-time gang officer, but recent gang activity has prompted a surge in interest among residents and politicians. Police have attributed four homicides this summer to gang activity.

A week ago, Crotts submitted two proposals to the city. One rearranges officers to form new gang squads and requires no new funding, and the other adds positions and associated equipment at a cost of nearly $1.5 million.

"The best plan is to start out with Plan 1 in the short term and graduate ourselves into Plan 2 in the long term," police Chief Tim Bellamy said.

And the City Council agreed. Instead of choosing one or the other at a briefing session Tuesday morning, members unanimously voiced support to do both: Move officers immediately and next year hire more officers to fill in the positions they vacated.

"I have people in my district who are afraid to come out at night," said District 2 Councilwoman Goldie Wells. "These children have been harassing them, and they are afraid. I know we can find a million or

2 million dollars. If it were something else, we would find it."

Crotts said the department would begin planning immediately to reassign officers to the gang squads and may have the positions shifted in as little as three weeks.

In the meantime, Mayor Keith Holliday asked City Manager Mitchell Johnson to find the money to fund more officers in the 2008-09 budget.

"I don't think we'll ever hear the city complain if we spend more money on public safety," Councilwoman Sandra Anderson Groat said.

Councilman Mike Barber emphasized his decision wasn't limited to the dollars and cents of the issue.

"What we're really saying is put a foot on their neck and give them (police) the money to put a foot on their neck," he said.

Crotts' proposals included identical segments devoted to prevention programs in the schools, which could be taught by school resource officers, and to intervention programs through the Parks and Recreation Department.

The Gang Resistance Education and Training program, known as GREAT, is used in surrounding counties to teach children in elementary and middle school to avoid violence and stay out of gangs.

Both plans also call for funding a team in the city's Parks and Recreation Department to intervene when youth appear to be becoming involved with gangs.

Parks and Recreation has a one-year, grant-funded outreach position, but Crotts' proposals call for expanding outreach to three people with dedicated funding from the city.

The team, which Crotts estimated would cost $150,000 to start, would serve as case managers to link the youth's family to community services.

Johnson said the money should be available next year.

"That new money will have to either come from cuts in programs, growth in revenue, or new taxes," he said. "But economically, things have been on the upturn ... and so I'm hoping we won't be looking for any major tax increases. We can handle this."

Contact Sonja Elmquist at 373-7090 or selmquist@news-record.com