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security issues
Whiteville City Council did the right thing by approving extra funds to increase police security at and around Central Middle School.
Council voted 6-1 vote to approve $8,500 in overtime pay for security between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m.
There was some haggling among council members over how much area around the school the officer would cover, and those details need to be worked out quickly.
We feel the officer would be ineffective if he or she stayed only on campus because many of the problems that have arisen started off campus and spilled over onto it.
One of those areas is the city park just south of the campus. We have no problems with the officer giving attention to the park so that children may play there without fearing for their lives. At least one of the shootings near the school started at the park.
Taking a proactive approach dealing with problems around campus will be important, but at the same time, the officer must be highly visible on campus.
The criminal element that causes problems in the area must be made aware that if they go on campus, they are going to be seen and dealt with.
We also encourage Police Chief Jerry Britt to find an officer who is a good fit for the job -- someone who has a good rapport with young people and who isn’t afraid to spend time on foot or bicycle. In many aspects, this will be one small step toward community policing, something that some officers aren’t particularly fond of but that citizens universally appreciate.
Yes, details must still be worked out, but the good news is that Central has extra resources for after-school security. All areas of the city deserve good police protection, but schools deserve an even higher level.