Basketball Contest—Page 4
THE WEST CRAVEN
HIGHLIGHT
.Volume 2, Number 2
Vonceboro, N. C. - Thursdoy, January 18, 1979
16 Pages
Price: 20c
Two year report reveals
Arrests up 828%
By Connie Bryan
Police Chief Harley Ringer
in his report to the Vance-
boro Board of Alderman
disclosed that the total
number of arrests by the
Police Department rose
from 99 in 1976 to 820 in
1978, representing an in
crease of over 800%. Rin
ger added that the large
majority of these (735)
were for violations of traffic .
laws. He stressed that
strict enforcement of traffic
laws minimizes accidents
and consequently, injuries
and property damage. In
his traffic analysis, Ringer
points to an increase in
arrests from 80 in 1976 to
735 in 1978. During this
same two year period, ac
cidents declined from 21 to
7, injuries were down from
7 to 2 and property damage
decreased from $18,380 to
$3,125.
“The Police Department
cannot go forward in a pro
fessional and progressive
way unless the Town Board
and the citizens of Vance-
boro demand is and assist
it,” commented Chief Rin
ger. “Several advances
have been made during the
year but more improve
ments are needed.”
During the past year, a
records system has been
implemented, which inables
the department to keep an
accurate account of all inci
dents. This system uses
free forms supplied by the
Federal and State Bureaus
of Investigation. Using
these records. Chief Ringer
was able to compile the
annual report. The report,
first ever according to
Mayor Jimmie Morris,
covers a two year period.
In an interview with the
Highlights, Chief Ringer ex
plained that the improve
ments in the Police Depart
ment, specifically the re
cords and filing system and
the new communications
center were all made possi
ble by a federal grant ap
proved by the Neuse River
Council of Governments.
These grants pay 90% of
the funds, while the state
and town contribute 5%
each.
Chief Ringer reports that
he has had a problem find
ing a place to set up the
communications center.
This plan calls for installing
a radio somewhere so that
a person needing assistance
could call that number,
then the person in charge
could reach Ringer by radio
in his patrol car. The Res
cue Squad hut was men
tioned by Chief Ringer as a
possible site.
One of Chief Ringer’s pro
jects for the coming year is
acquiring new investigative
equipment. He plans to re
quest a grant for about
$7,000 with the town pay
ing 5% or $350. If appro
ved, this money would be
used to equip an Evidence
Collection Unit designed to
preserve evidence to be
presented in court. Ringer
plans to put this equipment
in a van, which could go to
the scene of the crime and
collect the physical evi
dence needed to secure a
conviction.
Another project for the
future is a full time police
officer to handle the inves
tigation of crimes along
with crime prevention.
More street lights are also
needed to help prevent
breakins.
• Chief Ringer urged anyone
who plans to be out of town
to let the Police Depart
ment know and to have a
friend or neighbor check
the house everyday. He
also advised those leaving
to have their mail and
newspapers stopped.
When asked about the in
crease in drug violations,
which are up from 6 in 1976
CHIEF HARLEY RINGER [left] receives keys to new police car from Mayor Jimmie
Morris. This car is just one of the improvements in the Vanceboro Police Department
during the past year. [Photo by Rick Cannon]
to 26 in 1978, Chief Ringer
replied, “We have a very
serious problem in this area
with drugs. Marijuana is a
big problem. I hope to
increase drug arrests, be
cause I will have the help
of Hudgins ( G. M. “Slim”
Hudgins, who replaced
Stanley Kite as a part time
officer)...The reason we
have a serious problem is
lack of enforcement person
nel and lack of interest of
the public. People are con
doning their children smok
ing marijuana, because if
they did not, it would not
exist.”
Chief Ringer also discus
sed some of the problems of
the department. He ex
plained that since there are
only two officers, they are
sometimes overworked. If
an officer is overworked, it
is often hard to stay alert.
Ringer further explained
that because of the lack of
equipment, it is hard to do
a good job, which could
cause morale problems.
The Board of Alderman,
according to Chief Ringer,
has been very cooperative
in trying to get the best
equipped police force that
the town can afford. The
town has purchased a new
patrol car, a 1978 Ply
mouth. Ringer stated,
“Vanceboro has, in my opin
ion, the most efficient, pro
fessional department within
the county...! know we are
small, but the town has
bought the best equipment
it could afford.”
Chief Ringer also pointed
out that a good police force
is often drawing card for
industry. He elaborated by
saying that no company
would settle in a town,
unless it could be assured
of an adequate police force.
Basketball Contest Second Week
Wright takes first
Earl Wright of Vanceboro
won first place in the
second week of the Basket
ball Contest being spon-
ipred by the Highlights and
rea businessmen during
January and February.
Wright picked seven cor
rect winners to end up all
alone in first place. Four
entries picked six correct,
Rita Lewis edged out John
Drake for second place by
winning the tiebreaker by
one point. Wright was also
the only entry to beat the
Editor and so won the
special prize of five dollars.
Numerous entries picked
five correct.
Basketball Contest second
week winners:
First place: Earl Wright 7-3
Second Place: Rita Lewis
6-4
Third Place: John Drake
6-4
Beat the Editor: Earl
Wright (won Tie-Breaker)
Last Week’s winners are
UCLA, UNC, Virginia,
Richmond, Alabama, Va.
Commonwealth, Louisville,
Clemson, Notre Dame,
LSU, (Tie-breaker - UNC,
63 points.)
THE CRAVEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION presented its proposal for a
12-member board to the commissioners & the New Bern City School Board. Hiram J.
Mayo, Superintendent of the Craven County Schools, encouraged those present to let
the people know the facts concerning the merger. He indicated that he had no desire to
be superintendent of the merged system. The Craven County Board of Education
proposal allows for both superintendents to serve four year terms as interim
superintendents.