God's grace...

At about 2:45 a.m on Thursday, January 18, 2007, 4 men entered the duplex at 1312-A East 14th Street.  They were armed with guns and went in to rob one of the occupants who was known to be selling marijuana.

A young man by the name of John Scott Alligood was in there, too.  John was an ECU student.  He was from Washington, NC.   John wasn't selling drugs, but his room-mate  Thomas Harris was.

John was in the living room as the 4 suspects went in.  When the robbers came through the front door John stood up, and as he did so, one of the suspect swung a pistol at him to knock him back down.   The gun fired and John was struck in the chest.   John Alligood died a few days later.

The shooter, a young man named Cam Parker, had already committed at least one other murder by the time he and several associates planned to rob this college dope dealer...

Fast forward to Thursday April 11, 2013:  6 college-aged people are in a house on Cotanche Street.  Around midnight 3 armed suspects burst through the door to rob them of some pot, money, and cell phones...

...by the Grace of God, nobody got killed.

A chilling thing to do...

"The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of the next of kin," says the newspaper or TV anchor...but really, there is much more to it than that.

One of the most difficult jobs a police officer ever does is to deliver a death notification.  Telling a person their loved one is dead, experiencing that reaction, dealing with the trauma, and answering the inevitable questions are elements to the notification process that no officer who has done this ever forgets.

It is most important that family members hear it from a representative of the official agency, and not from a roundabout source such as the media.

A death notification should be made in person whenever possible, but truth be told sometimes that doesn't work out.  Locating family members in a timely manner can be very difficult, and with our mobile world, family members are often hundreds of miles away.  

When a death notice has to be made in far away jurisdiction, then ideally, the local law enforcement agency would make a proper notification.  Sometimes all a family member gets is a notice to call the police in Greenville NC.

There is no sugarcoating a death message.  The officer delivering such a notice must be clear and straightforward, but compassionate. The officer needs to have detailed information about the incident and be ready to anticipate all manner of questions and emotions.  The officer will stay with a family and assist them to summon other family members, clergy, or offer whatever logistical assistance possible in the situation.

Speaking from experience, it is a chilling thing to tell parents their son is dead: Something an officer never forgets.  It is also a reminder that our profession is one of service and compassion, as much as enforcement.

Doctor's advice...

Time between calls for service is precious time for a police officer.  It affords the officer an opportunity to do things beyond the normal routine, to be proactive and to go beyond the boundaries of the radio calls for service.

Uncommitted time for most patrol officers is dispersed in small snippets--25 minutes here,  15 minutes there, 45 minutes...and no officer can predict how long that time will be available.  So, making the most of uncommitted patrol time is very important to the mission of the Department and to the delivery of quality police services.

This is where the "Koper Curve Principle" comes in.   Dr. Chris Koper is a police scientist at George Mason University.  His Koper Curve Principle says that a police officer who conducts highly visible and active patrolling for 12-16 minutes in one hot spot area can reduce crime in that area for 2 hours afterwards.

The highly visible and active patrol includes police foot patrols, field interviews, bicycle patrols, check points, and other patrols besides just driving through in a patrol car.

Dr. Koper's theory has been proven to work in other cities.  It is being put to use here in Greenville.

When you see Greenville Police officers walking the beat or conducting check points, you will know they are also following the advice of Dr. Koper, doing crime prevention in accordance with the Koper Curve theory.

For more detailed information about Hot Spot Policing, check out this Web Link:   Hot-Spot Policing Put To The Test

Don't blame the road...

The Greenville Police Department has begun a Traffic Safety Initiative which is intended to reduce the number of car crashes in the City, make driving safer, and save lives.

Drivers can soon expect to see public safety announcements warning them of impending traffic safety activities in specific locations where data indicates a high number of vehicle crashes.  These activities are intended to raise public awareness about traffic safety in a positive way.  The announcements will coincide with enforcement of the traffic safety laws, especially along many of the major thoroughfares in Greenville.   The objective of enforcement is to reduce the number of car crashes by gaining voluntary compliance to traffic safety laws.

Among the violations that will be primarily targeted are speeding, turn lane violations, distracted driving, and red light violations. All other traffic laws will be enforced, as well, when violations are observed.

Speeding and inattention are the major causes of most vehicle crashes in Greenville. Rear end collisions, the most common type of car crash, are usually caused by speeding, driver inattention, or by following another car too closely.  Driving through intersections against the red light is a major concern, and a significant factor in car crashes involving injuries.   Turn lane Violations also contribute to a large number of car crashes each year in Greenville.  Using the center turn lane as a travel lane to bypass congested traffic areas creates a big safety risk for other drivers.   

Over the years, the North Carolina Department of Transportation has gathered data on the number of car crashes that occur on highways and streets across the State. 

The Greenville Police Department uses this data, as well as internal crash data, to determine the areas in our city where crashes are more frequent.  As a result of this data analysis, the Greenville Police Department is able to concentrate efforts, including education, public awareness, and enforcement in the locations where vehicle crashes are occurring.

Drivers in Greenville should expect to see a visible increase in traffic safety activities within a few weeks.

Here are the 2012 Top Ten Intersections for Traffic Crashes in Greenville, NC:

2012 Ranking	Intersection	Crashes 2012	Crashes 2011	2-Year Total
1	Arlington Blvd  &  Evans Street	30	16	46
2	Arlington Blvd  &  Red Banks Rd	29	28	57
3	Greenville Blvd &  E. Tenth Street	25	12	37
4	Arlington Blvd  &  Firetower Road	22	16	38
5	Arlington Blvd  &  Stantonsburg Road	20	8	28
6	Charles Blvd  &  Firetower Road	20	10	30
7	S. Evans Street  &  Firetower Road	20	9	29
8	Arlington Blvd  &  Hooker Road	19	15	34
9	Arlington Blvd  &  Dickinson Avenue	17	11	28
10	Arlington Blvd  &  NC Hwy 11 South ( Memorial Dr.)	17	11	28
	Totals	219	136	355

While these areas are where the most crashes occur, they are not the only locations.  Don't blame the roadway.   Drivers have to take responsibility for their driving habits, good or bad.

Come visit...

This is the shoulder patch to the uniform coat worn by Greenville Police Chief Lester D. Page.   It is on exhibit in our gallery lobby at the Police Department. 

Lester Page became Chief of Police following the death of Chief Drum.  According to the 1949 Greenville City Directory, Chief Page lived with his wife, Bertha, at 1411 Dickinson Avenue and his telephone number was #2456.   Chief Page retired from the Police Department in 1952.  And in 1953, he  served 1 term as the Mayor of Greenville.  

His police uniform is on display in the exhibition gallery, along with other Department memorabilia in the front lobby of the Police Department.  The public is welcome to come visit.

---

[i] Greenville NC City Directory.  1949. Page 254. 

Come and get it...

A little help, please....

Detectives from the Greenville Police are asking for help from the public to identify a larceny suspect.  

The man in these surveillance pictures has committed thefts from SEARS Department Store in Greenville on at least three separate occasions.  Most recently, the suspect entered the store and took a 40” Samsung flat-screen television.

After stealing the TV, the suspect fled from the store in a newer model,  white  GMC Sierra pickup truck, driven by a female.  The license tag was covered with duct tape, so no license number could be seen.

Anyone with information about this suspect should call Detective Chris Burack at the Greenville Police Department, at telephone # 252-329-4706.

Pitt-Greenville CrimeStoppers will pay a reward for information that leads to an arrest.  Call CrimeStoppers at 252-758-7777.

Surveillance pictures can be viewed on YouTube at the following web link:

YouTube Link:  LARCENY SUSPECT STEALING TVs