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increased effort
for security
The near-fatal shooting of a construction worker after a robbery Sunday night at Columbus Court Apartments, plus a string of strong-armed and armed robberies at the nearby Best Western and Trade Mart in recent weeks, underscore the need for a stronger police presence on the west side of Powell Boulevard.
Sunday night’s shooting was particularly brutal. The victim, whose wife is expecting a child, may not survive the point-blank shooting, committed with a shotgun.
Many of these crimes are being perpetrated by groups of four to five young men, many believed to be in their teens. It’s a disturbing trend.
Whiteville Police Chief Jerry Britt is giving more attention to the area, such as license checkpoints and foot patrols, but that may not be enough. Britt has only four officers on each shift who must cover the entire city. He needs more.
Crime in the area has nearly forced the permanent closure of a park built for children that attracts thugs and drug dealers. There have been several high-profile crimes near Central Middle School during school hours.
City council should consider appointing a special task force to deal with crime on the west side of Powell Boulevard. A great majority of the people who live in the area are law-abiding citizens; in fact, many crimes are committed by people who don’t live in the city.
Most residents want a higher police presence.
Protection of life and property is job number one of city government, and the threat of more danger west of Powell Boulevard looms if action isn’t taken now.
New York City once had a terrible crime problem. The problem was solved mostly by a commitment to hire hundreds more police officers and to get them out of their cars and onto the streets. The city’s prosecutors and judges also made it a priority to put repeat or violent offenders in prison.
Whiteville isn’t quite New York, circa 1975, but Whiteville should take note of how New York became much safer by saturating troubled areas with police and demanding the judicial system prosecute and imprison those who commit felonies.
Solving the crime problem on the west side is not an insurmountable task, but as evidenced by recent incidents, more resources are needed.
Cart before the horse
The county commissioners’ decision to hold back on approving fundraising efforts this year for a new Department of Aging building was the right one.
Everyone realizes the Department of Aging is in cramped, obsolete quarters in its building off Chadbourn Highway. Its clients deserve better facilities. If this were Brunswick or New Hanover County, elected officials could simply throw money at the project and it would be solved, but this isn’t Brunswick or New Hanover County.
With the construction of a new jail and a fund balance that is perilously low, this is not the year to take on another major capital project. A new building like the one proposed, Commissioner Ron Gore estimated, would cost $3.5 million.
The project needs to be fully thought out before a fundraising effort goes forward. Could an existing building be renovated more efficiently? Could a partnership be developed with an organization like Columbus Regional Healthcare?
People who contribute to a county-sponsored fund drive need to be assured that their donations will be used in a timely manner, but with the state of the county’s budget and another tax increase potentially imminent, it could be some time before the county can afford a new facility.
Director Ed Worley’s effort to put “good-faith” money on the table is a worthy suggestion, but without a more comprehensive plan and a better county financial situation, proceeding with fund raising would be, as Commissioner Ricky Bullard said, “putting the cart before the horse.”