Parking and barking...

Greenville Police Code Enforcement police officers and non-sworn personnel are responsible for the enforcement of Greenville City Code provisions which include such areas as animal control and parking, minimum housing and abandoned structures, abandoned and junked vehicle enforcement, weeded lot and other public nuisance enforcement, temporary sign zoning, and other quality of life issues that affect the people of Greenville.

In addition to these efforts, the Code Enforcement Unit also works with neighborhood associations and other groups on a variety of neighborhood improvement strategies. 

Animal Control officers insure the safety of citizens through enforcement of animal control ordinances concerning leash law violations, animal cruelty and those ordinances and state laws related to the welfare of animals within the City of Greenville.  Animal Control Officers partner with various community organizations to educate citizens on the proper animal care and the prevention of animal cruelty. 

Parking Enforcement Officers patrol throughout the city to enforce all ordinances related to the safe parking of vehicles

In 2011, the Greenville Police Code Enforcement Unit initiated more than 4,900 cases involving the spectrum of city code enforcement.  A sampling of these efforts includes the following:

·        Regarding property clean up and public appearance standards and ordinances, property owners were billed for more than $84,000 for emergency structure-board-up, trash & debris removal, and asbestos abatement and removal.

·        Civil citations were issued to property owners for violations of city ordinances.  The total amount of fines imposed in 2011 exceeded $23,100.

·        10 vacant or abandoned structures, deemed unsafe and uninhabitable, were demolished.

•        More than 6,550 parking citations were issued across the city.
  

Blue light special...

At about 8:45 pm on Tuesday evening, March 27, 2012, while shopping with his family, an off-duty Greenville Police officer observed a man running and pushing a shopping cart with across the parking lot at K-Mart Shopping Center.  The man had 2 large flat-screen TVs in the cart.

The officer called the police department and requested assistance to investigate the suspicious activity.  Responding patrol officers set up a perimeter in the area, and a police canine began searching for the suspicious man.

While patrolling the area, officers also observed Constance Marshall repeatedly driving around the area.   Patrol officers initiated a traffic stop on Marshall’s car for a field interview.  Marshall was interviewed and released for the time being.

The police dog then found Roger Lavon Jones lying and hiding in bushes next to a business on Commerce Street.  Further investigation by the patrol officers found two 32” Samsung brand flat-screen TVs hidden in bushes near the WITN-TV studio on Arlington Blvd.   Loss Prevention personnel from K-Mart confirmed the TVs were stolen. 

The officers were able to determine later that Marshall was also searching for Jones with the intent to assist him in the larceny of the TVs.

Police arrested Jones and charged him with misdemeanor larceny.  He was jailed at the Pitt County Detention Center under a $1,000 secured bond.   Patrol officers obtained an arrest warrant against Marshall for aid & abet misdemeanor larceny.

Right place, right time...

At about 2:30 a.m. on March 24, 2012, Officer A.W. Smith was patrolling on W. Fifth Street near Tyson Street when he saw 2 groups of teenagers in an apparent altercation.  When Officer Smith activated his police blue lights, one group of teens fled while the other came to his patrol car.

Officer Smith interviewed the first group of teens, who reported they were being robbed at gunpoint by the other group. The victims reported that the suspect teens had been armed with 2 handguns, and they forced the victims to hand over wallets, jewelry, and cell-phones. 

One of the armed suspects assaulted one of the victims by striking him across the head with a handgun.  The suspects fled upon the sight of law enforcement, and the stolen property was recovered at the scene. 

Other patrol officers responded to the area to assist with the investigation. Officers located the suspects at 605 Ford Street a short while later.  The suspects were identified by the victims following a show-up investigation at the house.

Each of the 5 suspect teens was transported to the Greenville Police Department for follow up.  The juvenile was identified at the police department and released to a guardian later that night.

Daquze Howard,  Khalil Mitchell,  Marquell Ward, and Marlin McMillan were each taken to the Pitt County Detention Center and jailed under $25,000 secured bonds.

Big team, little me...

On March 17, 2012 at approximately 0030 hours, Greenville Police Officers responded to 1801 E. 1^st Street in reference to a burglary.  While investigating that incident, officers were able to locate and apprehend the suspect a short distance away.

During the course of that investigation, Detectives with the Greenville Police Department’s Special Victims Unit were able to link the suspect to a sexual assault that was reported on January 8, 2012 at 500 Boxelder Way and a second sexual assault at 400 W. 1^st Street that was reported on February 24, 2012.  The suspect has been charged with the following offenses related to these incidents:

·     1 count Attempted Second Degree Sex Offense  - reported on January 8 (Case # 2012-1582)

·     1 count Second Degree Sex Offense – reported on February 24 (case # 2012-12008)

·     1 count Second Degree Burglary – reported on March 17 (Case # 2012-17182)

·     1 count Larceny after Breaking & Entering – reported March 17 (Case # 2012-17182)

·     1 count Assault on a Female – reported March 17 (Case # 2012-17182).

Arrested: Jermaine Martel Doughty   DOB: 12/15/1982

        1908 Rosemont Circle #18 Greenville, NC

Doughty was confined in the Pitt County Detention Center under a $140,000 Secured bond.  

Let me be brave in the attempt...

The Greenville Police Department is raffling an East Carolina University 2012 - 2013 Sports Season Package to support Special Olympics North Carolina.  The package includes two season tickets for the 2012 Football season, two season tickets for the 2012 - 2013 Men's Basketball season and two season tickets for the 2013 Baseball season.  All proceeds will benefit the more than 38,000 Special Olympics athletes in North Carolina.

A maximum of 5,000 raffle tickets will be sold for $10 each.  The more raffle tickets you buy the better chance you will have to win the Sports Season Package.  The winning raffle ticket will be drawn Monday, Aug. 27, 2012.

This raffle is made possible by the generous support of 103.7 WTIB-FM.  Thank you for your support of Special Olympics NC.  Any applicable taxes are the responsibility of the winner.

If you would like to purchase a raffle ticket, contact:

Captain Rob Williams
Greenville Police Department
252 329.4382

3 rounds in 5 seconds...

Every year, each law enforcement officer in North Carolina is required by the State to go the to firing range and re-qualify with his or her assigned firearms.  In order to qualify, an officer must demonstrate an acceptable level of skill during both day and night shooting. 

As part of the range qualification process, each officer must also attend a 4-hour block of classroom instruction about the legal use of force, firearms marksmanship, and firearms safety & maintenance.  Additionally, each officer completes a small mountain of paperwork that documents his or her classroom attendance and records that officer's qualification with their weapons.

While the officers attend classes, manufacturer-certified armorers inspect each officer's assigned weapon annually for funtionality, wear & tear.  Occasionally, the armorer may replace parts on a police officer's weapon to ensure that it is functioning properly.

At the Greenville Police Department, annual qualification means that about 188 police officers will attend classes and qualify at the firing range.  They will shoot approximately 24,000 rounds of ammunition.  The qualification process for this many people takes place over a 3-week period, and some officers may not finish their time at the range until 9 or 10 pm at night. 

Qualification takes place regardless of the weather, and every officer hopes and prays for clear skies on their qualification day.  Over the years, many an officer has qualified in a downpour, though.

For safety's sake, and to assure quality firearms instruction, the accepted ratio of instructors to students is 1 firearms instructor for every 5 students.  

All police officers will shoot and qualify with handguns and shotguns. Some officers will also qualify with AR-15 semi-auto rifles.  A few officers will qualify with 9mm submachine guns, and a very small handful of officers will qualify with .308 caliber sniper rifles.

Officers shoot a State-accepted course of fire from distances between 3 yards and 25 yards with their handguns.  They shoot their shotguns at distances of up to 40 yards away, using buckshot and rifled slugs.  Some officers will qualify with rifles and other weapons and shoot from as far away as 100 yards.

A handgun is part of the uniform, like the badge and the whistle, and every police officer who carries the handgun is mindful of the universal responsibility that goes with it.  That responsibility to the rest of the community is something bigger than one's self.

A war on many fronts...

The US Marshals Service of the Eastern District of NC, in cooperation with several local law enforcement agencies including the Greenville Police Department, conducted a fugitive search and round-up in Pitt County this week. 

Dubbed, Operartion All Hands On Deck, the round-up began early Monday morning with a county-wide sweep for wanted criminals.  The searched continued through Wednesday afternoon. At the conclusion of the operation, 101 people were captured and arrested on 138 outstanding warrants.

Participating agencies include:

• U.S. Marshals
• Pitt County Sheriff's Office
• Ayden Police Department
• Greenville Police Department
• NC Alcohol Law Enforcement
• NC Division of Community Corrections
• NC State Bureau of Identification
• Pitt County Alcohol Beverage Control Enforcement

The Greenville Police Department is proud of its partnership with other law enforcement agencies on the Local, State, and Federal levels.  Each agency involved brings resources to the table that would not be available without these cooperative endeavors.  

Few people outside of law enforcement know how important these partnerships are to the success of the Greenville Police Department and to the other agencies.

One more example of these partnerships is our participation in the Regional Drug Task Force.  Officers from the Greenville Police Department are assigned full time to this task force.

5 Kilos of Cocaine Seized

As part of this Task Force, this week detectives from the Greenville Police Department participated in the apprehension of 3 drug dealers from Florida...The Regional Drug Task Force worked with the Raleigh office of the DEA to conclude an investigation that led to the seizure of 5 kilograms of cocaine worth $500,000.

The hard work and dedication of those officers assigned to work on these Task Forces goes largely un-noticed by the public.  Much of their work is covert, and involves great personal danger.

The time these officers spend away from home and away from family can never be retrieved.

We owe them our thanks and respect for what they do. 

Blessed are the peacemakers,..

Mr. Edward Glenn Cannon, passed away on Monday, March 12, 2012.  He was 86 years old.

Mr. Cannon, was a native and longtime resident of Greenville.

He was  a veteran of World War II,  and served in the U.S. Army in the South Pacific and the Philippines.

For ten years after the war, he was employed with the Dixie Motor Company in Williamston.

In 1956 he began working with the City of Greenville Police Department. He served here for 29 years,  the last 12 years as the Chief of Police.

Chief Cannon had been a member of the First Free Will Baptist Church since 1969.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Susie Leggett Cannon in 2009.
Surviving are daughters, Reneé Cannon Pruett and husband, Jay, and Ramona Cannon Rose and husband, Bert, all of Havelock; brother, Jimmie B. Cannon and wife, Peggy, of Greenville; sister, Pauline Harrell of Greenville; granddaughters, Stephanie Ayers, Suzanne Jackson, Mary Glenn Dinger and Caroline Rose; 15 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.

Things Happen...

Sometimes it turns out to be just one of those days.  On Sunday afternoon, the driver of this car accidentally hit the accelerator instead of the brake and drove up over the curb, and then through the wall of a local Greenville business.  The driver suffered minor injuries and the business received a new drive-thru window.

Police officers are witness to many of life's most stressful and heartbreaking events on one end of the spectrum, and to the most bizarre and unbelieveable things on the other end.   This case falls somewhere in the middle.

It Takes A Village...

Residents in the Hopkins Park area helped police apprehend two Greenville teens Thursday after shots were fired near a playground occupied by children and families.

Shots rang out about 6:40 p.m. in the 1800 block of Hopkins Drive while children played on the playground equipment nearby. Officer A.C. Pool was in the area, heard the shots and responded.

Several residents near the playground pointed to a vehicle leaving the area and told Pool occupants in the car had been shooting a gun

The vehicle attempted to leave the area at a high rate of speed, pursued by Officer Pool.  Two men jumped out and ran when Pool stopped the vehicle.

Cpl. R. Oxendine, who also was responding to the area, joined in the foot chase and captured one suspect.

Jaquan Lane, 17, was found to be in possession of .22-caliber ammunition when he was captured, the release said.

Deon Daniels, 16, a second suspect, was tackled and held for police by a group of parents as he ran back through the housing area.

Following the capture of Lane and Daniels, officer N. Lather conducted a search with his police dog and located a .22-caliber revolver and one of Lane’s shoes, which was lost in the chase.

Lane was charged with carrying a concealed weapon; resist, obstruct and delay of an officer; and possession of a weapon by a minor. He was jailed under a $5,000 secured bond.

Daniels was arrested and charged with resist, obstruct and delay of an officer. He was jailed under a $500 secured bond.

The officers and the community working together....It really does take a village to fight crime.

In Recognition of Your Service...

Four times each year the City of Greenville and the Greenville Police Department recognizes officers and civilian employees who have continuously served the City, the Department, and the community.  Service bars are presented to police officers for service of 5 years or more, and for every 5 years afterward.  These bars are issued to police officers to be worn on their uniform, signifying their years of service as police officers.

Service bars are symbolic of the public trust that each police officer holds. They represent faithfulness to duty, professionalism, and service to the community.

Officers and employees also receive a service pin and gift from the City for their continued service of 5 years or more.

 

On Wednesday March 7, The Greenville Police Department awarded service bars and gifts to the following employees for their continuous years of service:

• Detective Corporal Thomas V. Woolard          35 years of service
• Master Police Officer Carlton Joyner                20 years of service
• Detective Antonio Braxton                                  15 years of service
• Lieutenant Nick Lucas                                          15 years of service
• Advanced Police Officer Dan Wilkins               15 years of service
• Advanced Police Officer Randy Wright            15 years of service
• Sergeant Shari Groccia                                        10 years of service
• Sergeant Richard Tyndall                                    10 years of service
• Officer Sonya Cates                                                5 years of service
• Officer Charlie Espinoza                                        5 years of service
• Officer Marcos Uvalle                                              5 years of service

Connecting the dots...

March 5, 2012:

Raleigh Police Department detectives have charged four suspects with murder, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery in connection with the December 2 shooting death of Majid Mohram and the robbery of Mohram’s business, the M3 Tobacco Shop at 3132-101 Calvary Dr.

The suspects, who were in custody in Pitt County, have been transported to the Wake County Jail.

The arrests of the four suspects is the result of a multi-agency investigation, which remains on-going. Raleigh homicide detectives followed up on robbery arrests made in January by the Greenville Police Department when they noted similarities between the M3 case and a Greenville robbery. The perseverance of those follow-up efforts led to arrest warrants charging the four suspects in connection with the December 2 murder and robbery.

Spring Break is here...

March 3, 2012:

As Spring Break 2012 approaches, the Greenville Police Department wants to remind college students of the need for securing their apartments and vehicles before they leave Greenville to head for their Spring Break destination.

Apartment and vehicle break-ins are crimes of opportunity.  Remember that you hold the key to keeping your apartment, your car, and your community safe.   Here are some safety tips to consider:

• Before you leave for Spring Break, do a security sweep and make certain all of your apartment windows are locked and your shades drawn closed.

                                   

• Maintain a list of serial numbers for your most valued items such as computers, gaming consoles, ipods, and televisions—just in case.

• If you live in multi-student apartments, lock your bedroom doors.

• Remove valuables, including book bags that could be perceived to contain something valuable, from any car which you may leave parked while you are away.

• Use a timer switch to keep lights operating, to give the appearance of occupancy while you are away.

• Communicate with your property manager. Ask them to hire short-term security.  Let them know if any room-mates are staying in the apartment and ask them to also be on the lookout for strangers in the area.

• Leave outside lighting turned on around your front door, patio, or deck area, and use a timer or motion sensors to activate outside lighting during the night.

• Be certain to deadbolt lock your outside door, and lock any sliding glass doors with a locking bar in the tracks.

• If you are staying in the apartment complex during Spring Break, call the police if you see any strangers walking around the buildings or driving through the parking lot.