Remember them fondly...

News Years Eve is here and many of us will have a toast of cheer to celebrate the beginning of 2013.   As the last strains of Auld Lange Syne fade after midnight,  please don't let your celebrations get out of hand.

According to the NC Governor's Highway Safety Program, about 3 out of every 10 people in America are involved in an alcohol-related crash at some point in their life, and drunk drivers kill somebody every hour of every day across this country.

In North Carolina,  the 'BOOZE IT and LOSE IT' enforcement campaign will be in full swing throughout the New Year Holiday.   The Greenville Police Department is a very active participant in that life-saving enforcement effort.  Drivers can expect to see enforcement activities all around the City.

Here are some facts about the Driving While Impaired (DWI) law in NC:

• Imposes a $10,000 maximum fine for DWI offenses.  A conviction means an automatic license revocation for 1 year,  along with at least 24 hours imprisonment and 24 hours of community service.
• Imposes a 30-day administrative driver license revocation for persons who refuse to take the alcohol or drug test requested by an officer, or who have a 0.08 Blood Alcohol Concentration (BAC) or 0.01 BAC if underage 21.
• Allows vehicle seizure and forfeiture for a driver who is impaired and whose license is revoked for DWI, or who is impaired and has no license and no insurance.
• Even if you refuse to take an alcohol test, the arresting officer is still entitled to take a blood sample from you.
• Besides the fines and imprisonment, your car insurance rates may go up as much as 400%, and attorney costs may exceed $4,000 or more.

Old times and old friends should not be forgotten, but remembered fondly and with love.  How sad it would be to have to remember them as being arrested, injured, or killed as a result of drunk driving.  

So, Please don't drink and drive.  

Happy New Year, everyone.

Green turkey and no gravy...

This past weekend our patrol officers on D Platoon conducted Operation GREEN TURKEY.  This was an effort to serve outstanding arrest warrants on as many offenders as possible in order to get them off the street, and make our City's Christmas safer.

Over the course of the Friday, Saturday, and Sunday,  GPD patrol officers located and arrested more than 30 offenders and wanted persons.  They were able to do this in between their regular duties, calls for service, responses to car crashes, and other calls..and it demonstrates a real dedication to our community.

Lt. White, Sgt. Liverman, and all the officers of D Platoon deserve a special thank you for their efforts.   Hopefully, their hard work will help keep Greenville safe for the holidays. 

Incidentally, the name GREEN TURKEY is a reference to the prison food these offenders will eat instead of the home-cooked meals made by mama.    And while they are in jail, they will not have an opportunity to victimize others.

Happy Holidays, everyone!

Not in a church..

On December 17, 2012 Greenville Patrol Officers served arrest warrants on Kevin Gerard Brown for 3 Motor vehicle B & E’s that occurred on December 6 at 1750 Wimbledon Drive (Next Level Training Center) and 1802 Old Firetower Road (Rose’s Gymnastics).

Through further investigation, Detectives  C.A. Walker and S.E. Pyles were able to obtain 17 additional arrest warrants for Brown. Each of these offenses involves the theft of a purse or other items stolen from vehicles at church parking lots around the city.  Brown was arrested and jailed under an additional $250,000 secured bond.

Detectives are continuing to investigate other cases.  Additional arrests and charges against Brown, and other suspects, may occur.

Although these cases are resolved with arrests, the Greenville Police Department continues to urge citizens to use good safety practices by removing valuable items from your cars, and by locking your cars at all times.

Do you see what I see...

The Greenville Police Department has purchased 26 on-body officer camera systems and has implemented the use of these cameras to supplement policing activities across the City.

The AXON Flex system is an on-body officer camera designed to be worn by first responders such as law enforcement, that captures video evidence from the officer’s perspective.  The camera is worn on the body or the head, capturing 90% more information than in-car dash cameras.  It has multiple mounting options, including an integrated mount with protective eyewear, as well as shirt-collar, epaulette, ball cap, and helmet mounts.

                                                                                   

Because the majority of what law enforcement officers do is away from the patrol car, this system was designed for comfort, convenience and performance but most importantly it is designed to capture video evidence from the vantage point of the officer’s perspective. 

On-body cameras provide police officers with these key benefits:

• They raise the quality of evidence gathered from police activity.  Videos aid in criminal investigations and become evidence in cases.
• They enhance the public trust and create safer communities at a lower cost. Often times a suspect or offender will modify his behavior when he learns he is being video-taped.
• Videos aid in administrative investigations by providing an accurate record of events.  The Department believes this will decrease litigation and increase cost savings by reducing false complaints, and making the investigation of complaints easier and simpler.

 This truly is cutting edge stuff...

Send me your money, he writes...

Members of the Financial Crimes Unit, Greenville Police Department and United States Postal Inspection Service executed a search warrant at Park West Drive Apartments concerning bank fraud and several versions of what is commonly known as the Nigerian Scam.  

The evidence recovered during the service of this search warrant supports the allegation that such frauds occurred. Evidence will be examined and evaluated with additional charges expected. 

The suspect in this investigation was located and served with 27 warrants for Obtaining Property by False Pretense. This investigation involves the loss of thousands of dollars by the victims.  In addition, approximately $20,000 in property was seized including computers, flat screen televisions, and other high end electronics. Evidence of Western Union transaction frauds was also recovered.

Arrested was Olanitan Michael Olaniyi, a Nigerian national and legal resident of the United States.  

The arrest comes after an intensive three month investigation. 

The investigation is ongoing and additional charges are expected.  Olaniyi was confined to the Pitt County Detention Center under a $1 Million Dollar secured bond.

54...

Since October, 1984 Sgt. Robert Brewington has served this City as a Greenville Police Officer.   His friends have always called him "Brew," over the years, however younger officers had recently nicknamed him, "Grandpa."

Sgt. Brewington supervised the Traffic Safety Unit for the past 6 years, and prior to that he was one of the principal officers in that unit for many years.  Brew is an expert on the Traffic Safety Laws of North Carolina, and helped make the Greenville Traffic Safety Unit one of the best regarded TSUs in North Carolina.  

The simple fact is that TSU's work saves lives, and Sgt. Brewington is responsible for that in a big way.    

Sgt. Brewington was  a working supervisor;  An Officer's Officer.  He  regularly made DWI arrests and worked the traffic details and other assignments right along side the younger officers.

Sgt. Brewington was a driving instructor for the Greenville Police Department. It was not uncommon for a young officer to make any driving instructor car sick after a short while on the road course or driving simulator...and Brew was not immune to that, either.  It was part of the price he would pay to help other officers learn to be safe while engaged in pursuit and defensive driver training.

Congratulations, Brew, on your well-earned and well-deserved retirement. 

Sign here, please...

 During the holiday season many people send and receive gifts through delivery services such as FedEx and UPS.  Sometimes, these delivery services may leave packages at the doorstep, making them easy targets for theft.   The Greenville Police Department asks residents to follow a few simple steps to help them avoid becoming a victim of delivery package theft.

• Request a signature confirmation on all deliveries.  UPS and FedEx will not leave packages at the door for items requiring a signature upon delivery.
• If you do plan to receive packages at your door, alert neighbors of expected deliveries and ask them to hold the package for you or place it inside your garage or other area where it is not visible to would-be thieves.
• Keep up with the delivery of your package with its tracking number, which will give you an expected delivery date.
• Consider having valuable items insured.
• Consider having packages delivered to another location where someone is more likely to be present during delivery.  For example, your workplace or a friend or family member’s home.
• Notify the Police Department immediately if you see anything suspicious.
• Be a good witness by providing accurate information on suspicious persons and/or vehicles to include tag numbers, vehicle color and suspect description.
• Leave special instructions if possible to have a package left at the side or back door, out of sight from the road, instead of the front door.

With the ease of the internet, purchases can be made in the convenience of your own home, on your own time, with the rewards showing up on your doorstep.  But packages left unattended on your front steps, even for a short while, may just be too attractive for thieves to pass up.

Remember, crime prevention is everyone’s responsibility.

Tis the season...

Here are a few holiday safety tips for shoppers:

1.  Always park your car in a well-lighted area and avoid areas with dark corners and blind spots.

2.  Take notice of your surroundings.  Keep your car keys handy.  Once you are safely in your car, make certain you lock your car doors.

3.  Place all your packages and valuables safely out-of-sight.  Store items in the trunk.

4.  When shopping, never walk away from your cart while your purse or other valuables are left sitting.  Stay Alert.  Don't let yourself get distracted by strangers.

5.  If something does not feel right, report it promptly to store management or call the police.

6.  Do not be afraid to find a security guard and ask for an escort to your car if you feel uneasy or afraid.

7.  Use the Buddy System.  Shop with a friend and look out for each other.

8.  Don't try to carry too much at one time.  Juggling packages, car keys, cell phone, and a purse makes you an easy target.

9.  Never leave your car running.  Don't think you can dash inside a store for a quick purchase and leave your car running.  Not only is that against the law, but its darn right foolish.

10.  The simplest tip of all:   LOCK your car when you walk away from it.

Closure...or not

The dawn of December 18, 2010 broke very cold and windy.  Police Officers had already strung crime scene tape around the parking lot by the time the detectives and forensics technicians arrived on scene.  Police cars were parked, crowded,  along the narrow street.  On nearby porches,  a few bystanders in pajamas watched.

Behind an apartment building, at the end of a cul-de-sac that runs off Hooker Road, the body of Larry Maurice Campbell was sprawled out on the pavement, not far from a car.  There was a large pool of blood beneath his head, and his eyes were open.

Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit began a homicide investigation that morning.    Through several weeks of interviews, phone calls, neighborhood canvasses, and more interviews, the truth of how Larry Campbell died finally came to light.

Today the investigation into the murder of Larry Campbell comes to an end.  Two young men, Paris White and Joshua Smith, pleaded guilty to killing Campbell.  They will each serve a minimum of 10 years in prison.

The end of this case brings closure to a family of Larry Campbell, and ends a criminal investigation, but it won't bring Larry Campbell back to life.