Square pizza...

This week officers from the Greenville Police Department C-PLATOON implemented an "Adopt-A-School" program for elementary schools around the City. 

These schools don't have full time School Resource Officers assigned to them, so the C-PLATOON officers thought it would be a good idea if each patrol officer could spend a little time each day or two getting to know the kids and staff at the different schools.

The officers plan to try, as calls for service permit, to be around the schools during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times.  They will plan to spend meal breaks with the kids, in the cafeteria,  and the officers want to be visible at extra-curricular events such as assemblies, and sporting meets.

The idea behind this effort is to give the children and staff at our elementary schools a continuing sense of security, as well as to provide them with personal service and a personal point of contact for anything they might need as it relates to policing.

The Adopt-A-School program is an officer-initiated idea.  C-PLATOON is excited about  being the first platoon in the Department to get this started.  They have challenged other platoons to join with them.

Square Pizza and a carton of milk--nothing better!

 The following officers and schools are paired up so far:

• Officer E. Robinson --  S. Greenville Elementary
• Officer F. Harris -- Oakwood School
• Officer C. Rodriquez -- Lake Forrest Elementary
• Officer A. Uvalle -- Wahl Coates Elementary
• Officer M. Grady -- Eastern Elementary
• Officer C. Church -- Wintergreen Elementary
• Officer R. Kurtz -- Elmhurst Elementary 

No csi...

Congratulations are in order to Corporal Ralph Mendenhall on completing 29 years of service to the Greenville Police Department.  Ralph will be officially retiring from the Police Department effective February 1.

Ralph has spent the bulk of his career working in the Forensics Unit,  concentrating on the meticulous and often unheralded task of crime-scene evidence analysis and processing.   

Unlike the way it is popularized on television shows such as CSI,  the forensics unit  and evidence processing involves weeks and weeks of detailed minutia,  paperwork, and tedium.  A good forensics person spends hours in the lab or at a desk, evaluating items of evidence to try and find the truth.   Each day, the forensics personnel sift through dozens of fingerprint cards, latent evidence cards, and fingerprint lift samples to classify fingerprints and possibly identify suspects in various criminal cases.  They read and study documents.  They perform tests on pieces of physical evidence. And they write a lot of reports. 

Whenever the Police respond to a major crime scene,  one of the first people through the door in the investigation is a Forensics Technician.  The responsibilities are immense.   The best analogy I can find to processing a crime scene is that to being an archaeologist in King Tut's tomb, sifting through items trying to determine which ones are significant and what stories they tell.

The Forensics Unit relies on many aspects of science, physics, and chemistry to help it find and explain the story behind a crime scene.  Whether it be a blood spatter pattern, gunshot residue, DNA, or simply a footprint in the sand,  the evidence that is preserved and identified, cataloged, analysed, and documented properly is the responsibility of the Forensics Unit.  It can make or break a criminal case in court.

Ralph has been one of the best, and the Department has benefited from his dedication.   

Congratulations, and Best wishes.

GPD Forensics Unit 2013:   front row:  Cpl. Ralph Mendenhall, APO Wyatt Coltrain.  back row: Ofc. Dan Wilkins, APO Earl Lavoie, Ofc. Charles Farrar

On the internet...

The Greenville Police Department is pleased to announce that beginning on February 1, motor vehicle crash reports will be made available to the public as a link on the Greenville Police Department webpage.

There will be no fee for access to this online service, and citizens will no longer need to come to the Police Department to obtain and view copies of crash reports.   

As of February 18, 2013 the Police Department will no longer maintain paper copies of crash reports for general public review.   Persons named on a crash report as a driver, car owner, or passenger, can still obtain a paper copy of the report.  Copies of crash reports for those people will still be available for free at the Records Section in the front lobby of the Police Department between 9am -- 5pm,  Monday – Friday.    

Other citizens will still be able to obtain a paper copy for a charge of $5.00, or they will be referred to the website to avoid any charges.

Citizens already have web access to the following GPD public records:

• Daily Calls for Service – a summary of all calls taken by the GPD Communications Center

• Daily Case Reports – a summary of all case investigations reported each day

• Daily Arrest Reports – a summary of each arrest daily

• Daily Drug Arrest Reports – a summary of all persons arrested for the sale and distribution of illegal substances

To access GPD records information online, go to the following web link:

• http://www.greenvillenc.gov/departments/police_dept/information/default.aspx?id=8010

Words with friends...

The field interview is an important method of contact and communication for officers to meet and speak with citizens, used in preventing and investigating criminal activity.    Field interviews are simple conversations on the one hand, and can be vital investigative and intelligence tools on the other, keeping in mind that 95% of people the police officers meet  and speak with are not involved in criminal activity.

Typically, a police officer may stop and speak with a person and conduct a field interview when the officer has established a reasonable suspicion that criminal activity may be taking place, or when conditions exist that cause the officer to question why a person is in a given location or conducting a given activity.  

Conditions such as time of day or night,  weather, location, proximity to known or recent criminal actions, or  obvious behavior of an person are just a few of the factors involved that when put together in their totality, leads an officer to develop reasonable suspicion.

Any officer who conducts a field interview must demonstrate respect for the persons involved.  A field interview is sometimes perceived by some as a means of police harassment or intimidation conducted in a discriminatory manner against  groups or individuals.  But a field interview is a legitimate police function necessary to the mission of the Department.  It is expected by the public that officers will stop and speak with people in order to prevent and investigate crimes and to maintain public safety.

A field interview may lead to that much needed break in an ongoing criminal investigation.   Or, it may just be a conversation between the officer and citizen...nothing more than a few words with friends.

The plain view doctrine...

On Wednesday January 16 at about 9:00 p.m. Greenville Police Officer J.W. Wooten was patrolling on E. Fifth Street near Summit Street when he saw from his patrol car several street signs hanging on the walls inside the front room of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity house. 

Further investigation by the Officer Wooten led to the recovery of 12 stolen street signs.   While conducting that investigation, Officer Wooten developed probable cause to apply for a search warrant of the house.  

Service of the search warrant by police officers resulted in the seizure of 49 grams of marijuana packaged for resale; a digital scale; 3 Adderall pills; and $80 cash.

Officers arrested Levi Coleman, James Mead, and Collin King.

Coleman is charged with Possession with Intent to Sell & Deliver (PWISD) Marijuana, Maintain a Dwelling for the purpose of selling controlled substances, & Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Mead is charged with Possession of Schedule II Controlled Substances (Adderall),  Maintain a Dwelling for purpose of selling controlled substances, & Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

King is charged with PWISD Marijauna, Maintain a Dwelling for the purpose of selling controlled substances, & Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.                         

All 3 were jailed under $25,000 secured bonds.

Kermit says...

The Police Department continues to expand its green footprint.  While we have already been using a 2-wheeled Segway for at least a couple of years, and have employed bicycle patrols since the early 1990s, the Department continues the move to be more efficient and "green" this past month by the trial acquisition of an electric motorcycle.

Officers will soon be patrolling the parks and greenway as they test the use of this electric motorcycle, built by an Oregon manufacturing company called, "BRAMMO".  

The motorcycle runs on battery power, and is as quiet as a golf cart.   It can travel for more than 60 miles on a single charge, and can be driven on roadways the same as any other motorcycle.  It has a top end speed of more than 60 mph, which is more than sufficient for patrolling in the City.  

Police officers who use this electric motorcycle for Greenway patrol will be required to have a NC Motorcycle endorsement on their driver's license.   

For the time being, this is just a loaner model that is being used for evaluation.  But, who knows, if this proves to be effective and cost efficient, maybe we'll see more of the electric motorcycle...

Maybe Kermit was wrong.  Maybe it is easy to be green, after all.

GPD's Electric Motorcycle:   This is a test model on loan to the GPD.  It will be used to patrol the  Greenway, along with bicycles and Segway, in the background.

Fifteen years, eight months....

We received the following press release today from the US Attorney: 

United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court on Friday, January 11, 2013, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced DALE CABINESS, 55, of Greenville, North Carolina, to 188 months imprisonment followed by 6 years supervised release. 

     A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on March 14, 2012, charging CABINESS with violations of federal narcotics laws.  CABINESS entered a guilty plea on August 14, 2012, to the distribution of quantities of heroin.

     According to evidence presented in Court, the Greenville Regional Drug Task Force used a confidential informant to purchase heroin from CABINESS four times between December 1, 2011, and February 23, 2012.  The investigation revealed that CABINESS was responsible for the distribution of 840 grams of heroin between September 2011 and April 2012.  

     CABINESS received an enhanced sentenced based on his status as a Career Offender. 

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Greenville  Regional Drug Task Force consisting of the Greenville Police Department, Pitt County Sheriff’s Office, Farmville Police Department, North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  The prosecution was handled by Special Assistant United States Attorneys Glenn Perry.  Mr. Perry is a prosecutor with the Pitt County District Attorney’s Office.  Pitt County District Attorney Clark Everett has assigned Mr. Perry to the United States Attorney’s Office to prosecute federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force criminal matters.  Mr. Perry’s assignment to the United States Attorney’s Office has been made possible by grants funded by the Governor’s Crime Commission.

This is real...

On Thursday January 10, 2013 Greenville Police officers stopped a car on Colonial Avenue for a traffic violation.  The driver of the car told officers he did not have to follow State laws or obtain any type of license to drive his car.  The man also questioned police about their authority to stop him.  The man was arrested and charged with No Operators License, and Resisting Arrest.

This behavior is typical of someone who adopts the philosophy of being a "sovereign citizen," and it seems to be a growing trend across the nation.  It is a trend that is being seen more and more in Eastern NC, too.

People following this movement maintain that government has no authority to tax them, to issue licenses, set laws, or do many of the thing governments normally do.  They do not recognize or accept the authority of the Federal Government, and often do not accept authority of State governments.  Typically, the only law enforcement they will recognize is an elected County Sheriff.

For the most part,  these people were not a major concern for law enforcement. Other than being difficult to work with, or being nuisances, they were generally considered to be harmless.   But a few years ago (May 2010), 2 men who considered themselves as Sovereign Citizens, shot and killed 2 West Memphis, TN Police officers during a traffic stop.  The 2 Sovereigns were later killed during a gun battle with other police officers following a car chase.

That incident put the Sovereign Citizen movement on the front page of law enforcement.

The Sovereign Citizen Movement has roots that go back decades.  

Here are some Web Links that will teach you more:  

                Sovereign Citizen Brief Lessons

                More Sovereign Citizen Lessons

Go ahead and run...

On Monday January 7, at about 1:28 pm, Greenville Police Officers responded to Radio Shack at the Greenville Mall in reference to 2 men who were attempting to buy computers using a stolen or fraudulent credit card.

Officer T.M. Hindes tried to detain one suspect near the food court area, and a foot chase ensued.  APO J.H. Brown and Officer Hindes chased the suspect across the mall parking lot and toward Arlington Village.  They was assisted by Sgt. K.L. Hadnott, who intercepted the suspect near BW3’s Restaurant.

While that foot chase was taking place, Cpl. C.L. Wormell was in foot pursuit with the second suspect, running across Greenville Blvd.  That suspect was captured near the intersection of Greenville Blvd, & Arlington Blvd.

Both suspects were arrested.   Further investigation by detectives from the Financial Crimes Unit found these suspects in possession of multiple fraudulent credit and debit cards.

Craig Gause was charged with 6 counts of Financial Card Forgery, and 1 count  each of Possession of Counterfeit Instruments, and Obtaining Property by False Pretenses.  Nathaniel Gunter was charged 1 count each of Possession & Manufacture of Fraudulent ID, and Obtaining Property by False Pretense.

The case is still under investigation and additional charges are possible. 

Hats off to the A-Platoon officers for bringing their track shoes to work on Monday!

fair warning...

In response to a rise in gun violence during the past month, the Greenville Police Department last night implemented a Violence Reduction Plan in targeted neighborhoods.

This plan involves both short-term, high intensity patrol & enforcement efforts and long-term strategic investigative efforts.  The short term solution is intended to suppress criminal activity immediately.  It began on Thursday night and will continue around the clock through the next several weeks.  During this phase,  patrol officers will be stationed in the targeted neighborhoods and will be aggressively patrolling and conducting field interviews and enforcement.

The long-term investigative strategy involves the use of local, state, and federal resources and will focus on organized crime, gun, and drug case investigations with the hopeful outcome being federal prosecution and conviction.   These types of cases are long-term, but they produce permanent and substantial results.

Last night, patrol officers in the targeted neighborhood of Westgate stopped 9 people and completed field interviews and citations on them.  One of those persons stopped was a convicted murderer.

Violence reduction strategies are not just about solving one crime, but also about preventing others.  Putting officers on the ground where violence occurs and where analysis predicts it will occur, sends a message to would-be offenders:  The Police are coming after you, and you will be held accountable.

Dirty diapers...

On the night after Christmas, 2 suspects drove their car through the Walmart parking lot, and the passenger reached out through the window to grab a woman's purse off her shoulder as she was walking.  The woman was knocked to the ground as the suspects sped away.

Less than 30 minutes later, the 2 suspects were seen on surveillance videos buying diapers and other items at the Family Dollar Store on Easy Street in Greenville.

Considering their purchase, and how they obtained the means to make it, one has to wonder what kind of parents these suspects are, and how they are raising their baby.

Social Services, already bursting at the seams with casework, will face yet another case when these deadbeat parents are identified and arrested.

Law enforcement is working hard to reduce crime, not just through everyday enforcement, but through strategic services such as the Police Athletic League and other Crime Prevention activities.  These strategies are trying to reach the next generation.  But when mom and dad are robbing people,...well that does make it difficult for the police...and in this case it gives a whole new meaning to "dirty diapers." 

Here is the surveillance video:   Dirty Diapers