Called to his purpose...

Today marks the end of one chapter, and the beginning of another.  Detective Cpl. Connie Elks will officially retire from the Greenville Police Department today, after serving our community for 30 years.

Many people in our City know Connie Elks as a public servant, a wife, a mother, a church member, a co-worker, and a friend.   We at the Greenville Police Department consider her to be a wonderful human being.   

She has always come to work with a smile on her face and a positive attitude in her heart.   Connie has served this department as a dispatcher, police patrol officer, juvenile services detective, DARE officer, and for the past 10 years, as a homicide detective.

No matter the challenge,  Connie Elks seems always to have taken a "Can Do" approach to the varied assignments and cases that she faced.   She has demonstrated an inexhaustible spirit in the performance of her duties, sometimes under the most heart-wrenching and stressful conditions.   

Few people outside law enforcement and her family will ever truly know the toll it takes on the spirit, or the circumstances she and other detectives have faced, while investigating and solving some very heinous crimes, bringing closer to the families of victims.

Yet through it all, Connie has persevered. 

We thought this would be a fitting tribute to one of the best people who ever walked through the doors of the Greenville Police Department.  It is a verse from the Book of Romans:   

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

Congratulations Connie, on your retirement.  And, Thank you for your service to this City.  

Greenville Police Department Major Crimes Unit: 2012
Detective Corporal Connie Elks, front & center

Look closely...

The Greenville Police Department is again warning retailers and citizens to please be on the lookout for counterfeit currency, especially during the holiday season.  Over the past few months, officers and detectives have responded to over a dozen cases of counterfeit bills passed at local stores.

Counterfeit money is easily detected when you take the time to check.  Look for the security thread running from top to bottom.   You can also look for color-shifting ink and the hologram when you hold money up in the light.   You should also see a watermark bearing the image of the person whose portrait in on the bill.

Commercial markers commonly used to detect counterfeit bills are not reliable indicators and should not be depended upon as the sole detector for counterfeit money.

Retailers and customers should examine their money closely during each transaction.  Counterfeiters are depending on you to hurry and complete a transaction.

If you detect or receive a counterfeit note, do not return it to the person who passed it to you.   Delay that person if possible.  Observe the suspect’s description, license plate, and vehicle description if possible.   Contact law enforcement immediately.  

We all have a role in guarding against crime.  You can help protect your community by becoming familiar with the characteristics of U.S. currency, and by alerting law enforcement when you suspect someone is passing counterfeit money.

You can learn more about counterfeit money by visiting the U.S. Secret Service website:  http://www.secretservice.gov/money_detect.shtml

Keep it simple...

You might have heard or read about the phrase, "Crime Triangle" today...

The crime triangle offers an easy way to visualize and understand crime problems. Three things  must exist in order to have a crime: an offender, a victim, and a location.   Those three things are the three sides of the crime triangle.  Lacking any one of  these sides, and there is no triangle; a crime will not occur.

A patrol officer on the street may be one way of eliminating the crime. the officer takes away location and may cause an offender to change behavior at that moment. 

A potential victim who changers their behavior alters the triangle, too, by using good safety practices and reducing at-risk bahaviors.

When an offender goes to jail or a potential offender changes his ways, that eliminates crimes committed by him...part of the crime triangle being altered.

One aspect of Crime Prevention is altering one of those three elements and thus reducing crime...

As guardians, we all have the ability to affect the crime triangle; either by taking away location (it also may be called "opportunity")  or by providing safety for the victims, or by arresting offenders...

You are guardians, too.   As citizens, you can take away the opportunity (Location) by using good safety practices   You can also reduce your chances of being a victim.

By attacking and changing 2 sides of the triangle, we certainly eliminate the chances of crime happening in our areas..and we are much more effective.

It's a simple way to think about Crime Prevention, and we all like to keep things simple when we can.

No means no...

According to FBI statistics, about 90,000 women are sexually assaulted each year.  

Officers from the Greenville Police Department and from East Carolina University Police have been offering ways for the women in our community to reduce the odds against them, and to allow a way for them to protect themselves, by providing a free self defense class, called RAD, or Rape Aggression Defense.

Recently,  WNCT channel 9 visited the Greenville Police Department and featured a RAD class being taught by Detective K.Z. Edwards and Detective Diane Smock.   

Here is the video:  RAD Training at the Greenville Police Department

The RAD training class is a 12-hour course usually broken down into a couple nights over 2 weeks.  RAD's goal is to develop and enhance a woman's self defense options so they become viable considerations when a woman is attacked.

RAD's basic physical defense training is simple to learn, easy to retain, and easy to use during real life confrontational situations.

The class is free to woman and teenagers.  It eliminates the myths that women are physically powerless against men, and gives them an renewed awareness of their true physical power, as well as educates them about basic self defense principles.

Nationwide, more than 250,000 women have taken RAD training.   RAD is one of the country's most popular self defense training classes for women.

If you want to learn more, or sign up for the next RAD class,  send an Email to RAD@greenvillenc.gov

A few good men and women...

Our Citizens On Patrol program (COP) is looking for some additional volunteers.  This is a great way for someone to contribute something meaningful to our community, serve as a deterrent to crime, even patrol your own neighborhood, and have fun.

Our COP volunteers conduct vacation house checks,  assist patrol officers with traffic control, enforce handicapped parking laws, and patrol neighborhoods.  They operate a Greenville Patrol car especially marked and lighted as "Citizens On Patrol," and they are worth their weight in gold for their contributions to the Department and to the community.

The volunteer hours are always flexible.  If you think you'd be interested in learning more about Citizens On Patrol,  contact Lt. Richard Allsbrook or Corporal Chris Viverette in the Code Enforcement Office at the Police Department.   They can be reached at 329-4364.

All it takes is a small level of commitment and interest in service to your community.  You can obtain an application form from Chris or Richard, complete that, and following a background check, you too can be a Greenville Police Department COP.

Come join a few good men and women....We need you. 

A tangled web...

Case # 2012- 73064:  At around 10:37 a.m. on Tuesday, November 13 Greenville Police Officers responded to a report of a daytime home invasion and robbery at 304-B White Street.  As officers arrived on scene, they noticed Marshall Scott Tyson leaving the house through the back door.  Officers were curious as to why Mr. Tyson was in a hurry to leave, so he was detained and it was later determined that he is a resident of the home.  Mr. Tyson was also found holding an amount of marijuana packaged in 6 small baggies.  

Mr. Tyson and another resident, Ms. Tasheika Boyd, told police officers they were at home minding their own business when three men, two armed with shotguns, forced their way into the house and robbed them.  

Mr. Tyson was interviewed and eventually to the police that the robbery began as a drug deal for the sale of an ounce of marijuana.  The three men had been at the residence earlier and negotiated a price for 1 ounce of marijuana.  They then left, supposedly to get the money for their purchase.  

When the three men returned, they rushed in to the house when the door opened, and robbed Mr. Tyson and Ms. Boyd.  

Mr. Marshall S. Tyson was arrested and charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver (PWISD) Marijuana, Maintaining a Dwelling, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  He received a $5000 unsecured bond.  Arrest Warrants were obtained for one of the three robbers, Mr. Tevin Knight for Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon and Felony B&E.  The investigation into the identity of the other two men is still ongoing.  

Here is an excellent example of not-so-innocent victims using up community resources and  bringing danger to our community...creating a tangled web.

Knocking and talking...

The question was recently asked, "Why did the police come knock on the door to my apartment for no reason and ask me about selling drugs?"

It is a fact of life that when people sell drugs, their customers will often tell the police about that.  There are very few people who can keep a secret.  Actually, we police officers depend a great deal on people who are willing to talk about about crimes being committed by other people.

So in answer to the question posed above about why the police came to the apartment, somebody, either a so-called friend or a drug-buying customer or another person with knowledge of what is going on, called the police and told about the person selling drugs.

A good police officer is an inquisitive person.  The officer will follow up on what has been reported by knocking on that front door and simply asking questions, talking to whomever answers the door.  Quite often, that conversation will develop additional information to cause the police officer to investigate further, leading to the arrest of a drug seller, seizure of illegal drugs, and so forth.

It is, after all, what the taxpayers are paying police officers to do. 

Pestilence...

On Monday November 5, 2012, The Greenville Regional Drug Task Force concluded a long-term investigation into drug and weapons violations in Greenville and Pitt County.  This investigation culminated in the arrest of three high-ranking United Blood Nation (UBN) gang members from the Greenville area. 

The investigation lasted over 5 months and found the suspects in these cases were buying and selling stolen weapons,  selling and buying drugs and supplying other street level drug dealers, and conspiring to commit other violent crimes.

Multiple agencies participated in the investigation, including agents from the ATF, DEA, US Marshals, the Gang Unit of the Greenville Police Department, and patrol elements from both the Greenville Police Department and Pitt County Sheriff’s Office.

The following offenders have been arrested:

Ernest Joshon Wright, 26 years old, of Greenville was arrested at 891 Fleming School Rd.  He was charged with 6 counts of Possession of Firearm by Felon, 3 counts of Sell or Deliver marijuana, 2 counts of Sell or Deliver Cocaine, Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver marijuana, Possession with intent to Sell or Deliver a Schedule 1 controlled substance, and Maintaining a Dwelling for a Controlled Substance.  Wright was jailed under a $1,000,000.00 bond.

Wright has at least 34 prior arrests for crimes such as assault with a deadly weapon, various drug violations, armed robbery,  assault with intent to kill, and possession of a firearm by felon.

Chicobe Antrell Williams, 28 years old, of Greenville was arrested at 1130 Teakwood Dr. in Greenville.  He was charged with 7 counts of Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Cocaine, 7 counts of Sell or Deliver cocaine, and 3 counts of Conspiracy to Sell Cocaine.  At the time of his arrest he was in possession of 28 grams of Crack Cocaine.  He was also jailed under a $1,000,000.00 bond.

Williams has at least 39 prior arrests for such crimes as assault inflicting serious injury, possession of cocaine, conspiracy to sell cocaine, breaking & entering, and assault on a female.

Robert Lee Hopkins, 29 years old, of Greenville was arrested near the intersection of 14^th St. and Myrtle Ave.  He was charged with 11 counts of Possession with intent to Sell or Deliver cocaine, 9 counts Maintaining a Vehicle or Dwelling for a Controlled Substance, and 11 counts of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  Hopkins was jailed under a $650,000.00 bond. 

Hopkins has at least 25 prior arrests for various crimes including assault on a female, possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine, kidnapping, and larceny.

These arrests highlighted the cooperation of multiple agencies in order to get dangerous drugs, weapons and offenders off the street.

The investigation continues and additional arrests may occur as the case moves forward.

Members of the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force include the Greenville Police Department, the Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Farmville Police Department. 

A life of service...

Retired GPD Captain Mr. Jimmie B. Cannon, 83, passed away Monday, October 29, 2012.   

Mr. Cannon, was a native of Stokes, NC, and lived most of his adult life in Greenville, NC. 

He worked for the City of Greenville Police Department and was Assistant Chief when he accepted employment with N.C. State Probation/Parole. He was supervisor when he retired in 1983.   

He was a graduate of Southern Police Institute, University of Louisville Kentucky and ECU Correctional Administration. He was awarded the “Order of the Long Leaf Pine” by Governor Jim Hunt in 1983. A member of Trinity Free Will Baptist Church, Mr. Cannon served as Deacon and on various committees.  

He was preceded in death by his parents, H. Roy and Lillian Jones Cannon; and brother, Edward Glenn Cannon.   

His brother Glenn Cannon was also the retired Chief of the Greenville Police Department.

He is survived by his: 

wife of 62 years, Peggy Ross Cannon;  

daughters, Becky C. Alexander and husband, Mike and 

Deborah C. Lilley, all of Greenville, NC; 

grandchildren, Will Denton and wife, Emily, Kelli Denton Conklin and her husband, Carlryan, 

Thomas Denton, Jr., and Caroline Lilley.   

great-grandchild, Jordan Denton;  

sister, Pauline Harrell, of Greenville; and 

brother in-law, Kenneth Ross, of Farmville.  

The family will receive friends Thursday from 6 to 8 pm at Wilkerson Funeral Home.  

Memorial contributions may be made to Trinity Free Will Baptist Church, 100 Golden Rd., Greenville, NC or to a charity of one’s choice. 

Granddaughter Kelli's husband Carlryan Conklin is currently a Greenville Police Officer.