STALLINGS, N.C.,None — It was only three weeks ago that Sharon Bailey had an emergency when she saw a group of suspicious men running through her Stallings neighborhood, including through her back yard.
"I got really scared," she remembered. "I just quickly went into the house, locked the door and I called 911. Before I got off the telephone, there were three police cars out in front of my house."
That quick response was just one result of the police department's focus on community policing by dividing Stallings into four zones and assigning certain officers to patrol each zone and getting to know the residents.
Police Chief Michael Dummett said it also explains why the crime clearance -- or how many crimes end with an arrest -- has quadrupled from 11 percent when he took over in December to more than 44 percent now.
"It's not that we went from bad to good. We went from good to better," he said.
He added: "We just had to reevaluate some of the things that we were doing to get optimal performance out of the officers that we currently have."
Dummett said the biggest improvement was in clearing property crimes, such as home and car break-ins. Often one of the tougher crimes to solve because of the importance of witnesses, he linked the improvement with his department's ability to offer money for informants and witnesses to come forward with information.
The chief also credited his hiring of a crime scene investigator and a narcotics investigator -- positions the department didn't have previously -- as well as his effort to create a higher accountability throughout the department.
"We set time and guidelines as to what things need to be done by what time so things don't fall behind," he said, adding that it's easy to get behind when a department such as his doesn't have many detectives.
"The secret to having an increased (clearance) rate is no one miraculous thing," he said. "It's putting all the details together to get the end result."
Dummett said one of his biggest supporters is Mayor Lynda Paxton, who recently shared her enthusiasm about working with the new chief on her website. Paxton proposed a controversial idea last fall to consider eliminating the police department to save the town money. The idea eventually was voted down by the Town Council.
But Dummett said working with her, the town manager, neighbors and nearby police departments has been essential in making strides in just a few months. He called it a key to making the department successful, something he's confident will continue long into the future.
For Stallings resident Mike Adams, the results were proof town leaders made the right decision in not disbanding the department.
"All the neighborhoods have crime watch, and I see a lot of policemen patrolling my neighborhood," he said, noting that it helps him sleep more easily at night.
More Information: Stallings Police Patrolling Zones Contact the officer assigned to your community.
WSOC
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