playing hooky...

Here is the definition of truant:  a juvenile at least seven, but less than sixteen years of age who is absent from school without a lawful excuse.

The Greenville Police Department has partnered with the Pitt County Schools System to address truancy in the school within the city limits.  The GPD truancy program has 4 goals:

• To return out-of-school kids who are found to be skipping class, back to school
• To enforce the compulsory school attendance laws
• To reduce the school drop-out rate
• To reduce child victimization and crime committed  by school age children

Throughout the school year, our PAL program officers,  School Resource officers, and Patrol officers will be on the lookout for school-aged kids who appear to be out of school without proper excuse.

Police officers will return truant kids to school whenever they are found.

This is one way in which the Greenville Police Department is working to keep kids in school and to keep them safe.

Playing hooky from school is not like it used to be...

The show is about to start...

Its football weather again and in Greenville that means Pirates. 

It's also downtown weather again and in Greenville that means college students and out-of-town visitors at downtown restaurants and nightclubs into the early hours of the morning.  

For those people who visit Greenville's downtown district, here are a few tips on how to safely enjoy the businesses, atmosphere, and show that is the weekend in a college-oriented town:

• Please do not binge drink:  Moderation is the key to enjoying yourself and your friends
• Lock your cars and remove anything that appears valuable:  There are those people who will walk along testing for unlocked cars and things to steal.  Don't be a victim
• Bring a friend:  By using the buddy system you can watch out for each other and keep each other safe
• Obey the rules:  Please listen and obey any directions given to you by law enforcement.   If you are not old enough to legally buy alcohol, please don't attempt it.   Alcohol Law Enforcement and ABC officers will be concentrating on nightclubs and underage sales, and Greenville Police officers will be enforcing the laws, too.

The Police Department will again be employing its downtown deployment plan, which is intended to create and maintain a safe environment for visitors by establishing public behavior expectations.  That means if you break the rules, you can expect to get a ticket.  

Police officers will be patrolling the downtown area on foot and in cars trying to keep things safe for all of us.  The Greenville Police Department wants visitors to enjoy the people and atmosphere that is part of Greenville.  But when the nightclubs and restaurants close,  then it's time to go home.  Please do not loiter about on the sidewalks and in the parking lots after hours. 

If you are blocking the sidewalk or standing in the streets, police officers may approach you and ask you to move along, because things can get pretty crowded and people need to be able to move about on the sidewalks.  Hanging out in the parking lots can create problems, so please don't loiter.

There is a lot to see downtown, and people watching can be quite a show.   It's great to watch the show, but you don't want to be a star in that show, if you know what I mean...

A quiet week in lake wobegon...

Here is a summary of last week for those of you who missed it:  

On Thursday August 23, the Traffic Safety Unit conducted another all out effort to enforce traffic safety laws.  The TSU worked the intersection of East 14th Street & Greenville Blvd and wrote 113 traffic tickets in an 8-hour period.  The TSU will conduct enforcement again this week, on Thursday, concentrating on the residential subdivisions.  We emphasize the goal of these enforcement efforts is to gain voluntary compliance with traffic safety laws.

On Friday August 24, police investigated the report of larceny from Kohl's Department Store.  2 suspects stole $339 worth of tennis shoes.  Officer R. O'Brien has obtained an arrest warrant for Shaun Dontrell Cratch in the case.  He was seen putting several pairs of shoes down into his pants.  His female accomplice concealed shoes in her purse.  Cratch will be arrested soon.

On Saturday afternoon August 25, officers from C-Platoon responded to the report of a man exposing himself to children in a local shopping center.  Parents and witnesses chased the man through the area until police arrived.   Officers set up a perimeter and used a police dog to find the man hiding in woods near Lynndale subdivision.  He is 58 year old Edward E. Watson from Washington, NC.  He was charged with indecent exposure and taken to jail.

On Sunday morning August 26, officers responded to the River's Edge Apartment complex in reference to a mental commitment.  Officers have dealt with this person in the past.  In this particular incident, the young man was damaging property and cutting himself.  Police had to use a non-lethal taser to subdue him and get him to the hospital.

It's more than a sign...

Community Watch is neighbors looking out for each other.

We all have busy lives. Between soccer and football and dance and gymnastics: between school and work and church and grocery shopping: between the doctor and the dentist, tweeting, facebook, barnes & nobles, Judge Judy and Modern Family, who has time to be the neighborhood watch block captain?

A community watch doesn't have to be a complicated thing.

Get to know your next-door neighbors.  Get to know the neighbors across the street.  Watch out for them, and let them watch out for you.  Those are the basic practices of Community Watch, and that is really all it takes to have an effective community watch program for your neighborhood.

You and your neighbors are the people who know what is happening on your street and in your neighborhood.  By cooperating with each other, you can fight crime and make our community safer.



Community Watch is more than just a sign



By watching out for each other and by calling the police whenever you see something that doesn't seem right, you can reduce the criminal's opportunity to commit crimes.

The Greenville Police Department wants to help you.  We offer home security surveys designed to help you make your community a tougher target for thieves.  We will come to your house and check your home while you are away.   We will help you meet and greet your neighbors and get your Community Watch started.

Remember, criminals will go to places where people don't pay attention to them.  Like cockroaches, they will scatter and run when the light shines on them.

Call the Greenville Police Department at 252-329-4372 for help getting your Community Watch started.

  

Check out our archive photos  on the Greenville Police Department's FaceBook Page, when you get the chance.

Here's the web-link:

Police FaceBook

Welcome back...

Welcome back students to Greenville and East Carolina University.   As you begin your 2012-13 school year, please take a moment to consider a few safety tips:

1.  Call the Police first.   Too often students will text a friend and tell them about a problem, then call the police.   The Greenville Police Department is here to help and protect you.    Call the Police First, whenever you see or experience a problem relating to your safety.  Ask the police officers to meet with you so you can tell them about the problem face to face.

2.  Use the buddy system.   Find and get to know your friends and look out for each other.  Keep each other safe.

3.  Lock your apartment every time you leave, including your windows.  Close your blinds.   Too many college-age people leave their apartments unlocked at all hours of the day, for all kinds of reasons.  Thieves know this, and they go around apartment areas just pulling on door handles to see what's open.

4.  If you're at a party and it seems to be getting out of hand,  leave immediately.  Don't try to get involved in a lot of drama at a party.  Alcohol and drama at parties is like gasoline on a fire sometimes.   

5.  Take turns being the designated driver or sober friend.  Somebody needs to be in charge and be watching out for the group.

6.  Never, Never, Never accept rides from strangers.    College students seem to trust everybody, and unfortunately we can't trust everybody in today's world.

7.  Lock your car and remove book bags, GPS units and other electronics, and anything that  may even appear valuable.  Thieves love to break into cars..especially unlocked ones.

8.  Don't let strangers into your apartment.   We all want to believe in the good of others, but unfortunately,  not everyone has the same good-intentions as we do.  Please don't invite strangers into your home.

9.  Get to know your Apartment Manager.   Report any maintenance problems to them promptly and get them to fix things like exterior lighting, broken locks, overgrown bushes, etc..

10.   Please don't binge drink.  You are much more likely to become a victim if you are drunk or under the influence of some impairing substance.

We at the Greenville Police Department want you to have a great school year.  Enjoy your college experiences.  Meet new friends.  Learn and grow.  

Old granddad used to tell me,  "A college education is something that nobody can ever take away from you."   Grand-dad was right..

Stay safe.

Thirsty thursday...

The Greenville Police Department's Traffic Safety Unit has been out in force today.  As previously advertised on this blog and in press releases from the Department,  the TSU will be doing concentrated enforcement at selected streets and intersections from time-to-time.   Today the TSU is concentrating on SW Greenville Blvd and Memorial Drive.  They've been going strong since before 8am, and from the steady radio traffic, it sounds like they are writing a LOT of tickets.

Traffic tickets aren't the objective of this job, though.  The Greenville Police Department stresses voluntary compliance by the motoring public with our traffic safety laws.  With the return of students at East Carolina University and Pitt Community College, and with the public schools about ready to begin their fall semester,  obediance to the traffic laws is so very important to the safety of all of us.   

Every so often we see and hear news reports of terrible car crashes,  sometimes fatal ones.  

The Greenville Police Department asks our community to please slow down.  Ease back off from that car in front of you.  Don't try to beat that red light.  Wear your seatbelt.  Drive defensively and watch out for pedestrians, motorcycles, and other drivers.

Let's stay safe out there.