NEWS AT 11 STARTS RIGHT NOW. AFTER A RECORD YEAR FOR HOMICIDES LAST YEAR AND A TOUGH START TO THE NEW YEAR, CITY OF GREENSBORO IS TAKING A NEW APPROACH TO HOW THEY ARE IN THE COMMUNITY, TRYING TO BRIDGE THE GAP. AND THE ALAMANCE COUNTY BOARD OF ED MEETS FOR THE FIRST TIME AFTER THE SUDDEN RESIGNATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT. HIS WAS JUST ONE OF SEVERAL MAJOR PERSONNEL CHANGES TO ROCK THE DISTRICT. HOW IT’S IMPACTING NOT JUST LEADERSHIP, BUT STUDENTS AND STAFF AND WE ARE MONITORING RESULTS IN THE COUNTRY’S LATEST ROUND OF PRIMARY ELECTIONS. FIRST, TONIGHT IT IS THE MIDDLE OF MARCH, AND ALREADY THE CITY OF GREENSBORO HAS SEEN TEN HOMICIDES. THIS YEAR AFTER SETTING A NEW RECORD LAST YEAR. JUST THIS WEEK, WE’VE REPORTED ON TWO HIGH PROFILE SHOOTINGS IN OR JUST OUTSIDE OF POPULAR CLUBS AROUND BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE CITY. TONIGHT, THOUGH, THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IS TAKING A DIFFERENT APPROACH TO CRIME PREVENTION, ONE THAT’S ON BRAND WITH THIS TIME OF YEAR AND THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY. HERE’S KARA PETERS POLICE AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS MET ON THE COURT FOR THE BRIDGING THE GAP BASKETBALL TOUR. IT WAS A WAY FOR GREENSBORO RESIDENTS AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO SEE EACH OTHER IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT, AND ALL COME TOGETHER FOR ONE GOAL. DOZENS OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS FILLED THE STANDS OF THE WINDSOR RECREATION CENTER IN GREENSBORO, MEN OF ALL AGES LACING UP FOR A GOOD GAME OF BASKETBALL JUST BE A PART OF THE COMMUNITY FOR REAL. UH, A BUNCH OF GOOD GUYS COMING OUT AND JUST ENJOYING THE GAME OF BASKETBALL. GREENSBORO POLICE OFFICERS AND FIREFIGHTERS TRADED IN THEIR UNIFORMS FOR JERSEYS TO PARTICIPATE IN THE FUN. BUT SEND A MESSAGE TO THE COMMUNITY. I THINK WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING, AND WE WE DON’T WANT TO SEE THE VIOLENCE IN OUR COMMUNITY, AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE CAN COME TOGETHER HERE AND DO SOMETHING THAT’S FUN, THAT MULTIPLE AGES AND DIFFERENT DEMOGRAPHICS CAN PARTICIPATE. AND IT’S IT’S REALLY JUST ABOUT BRINGING THE COMMUNITY TOGETHER. GREENSBORO HAS HAD TEN HOMICIDES SO FAR THIS YEAR, MOST RECENTLY A SHOOTING AT CULTURE LOUNGE ON SPRING GARDEN STREET THAT CLAIMED THE LIVES OF TWO PEOPLE. JEREMY PENN LIVES IN GREENSBORO. HE SAYS HE DECIDED TO PLAY NOT ONLY BECAUSE HE LOVES BASKETBALL, BUT HE’S READY TO SEE CHANGE IN THE CITY THAT RAISED HIM. IT JUST DOESN’T MAKE ANY SENSE. I’M FROM GREENSBORO. I’M NOT USED TO THIS, YOU KNOW, AND I HATE THAT. LIKE WE’RE GOING THROUGH THIS, YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? I FEEL LIKE WE GOT TO COME TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, YOU KNOW, AND JUST COME TOGETHER AND LOVE EACH OTHER. THAT’S ALL PEOPLE SAY. TUESDAY’S BASKETBALL GAMES WERE A WAY TO SHOW PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY AND LAW ENFORCEMENT. AND AS THE NAME OF THE EVENT SAYS, BRIDGE THE GAP. WE GET TO SEE EACH OTHER’S FACES. THEY KNOW WHO WE ARE, WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE, YOU KNOW WHAT I’M SAYING? AND I JUST FEEL LIKE IT’S GOOD. IT’S GOOD OUTREACH, WHICH IS A SLAM DUNK AND WIN FOR EVERYONE. BE A PART OF SOMETHING GOOD. GET OUT THE STREETS. YOU KNOW, DO WHAT YOU NEED TO DO AND HAVE FUN. HOPEFULLY IF WE COME TOGETHER THEN N NOT ONLY HERE ON THE BASKETBALL COURT, BUT WE CAN COME TOGETHER TO SOLVE ISSUES OF VIOLENCE IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. GREENSBORO RESIDENTS SAY THEY HOPE TO SEE MORE FUN, INTERACTIVE EVENTS LIKE THIS WHEN IT COMES TO COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT IN COMBATING VIOLENCE IN GREENSBORO.