Salisbury Police Department (North Carolina)

The Salisbury Police Department is the primary law enforcement agency in the city of Salisbury, North Carolina in Rowan County.[1] The city has a population of about 34,000. The Salisbury Police Department is a full-service, internationally-accredited police department by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies.

Salisbury Police Department
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdictionSalisbury, North Carolina, North Carolina, USA
General nature
Operational structure
HeadquartersSalisbury, North Carolina
Agency executive
  • Jerry Stokes, Chief
Website
salisburync.gov/Government/Police

Controversies

In April 2021, an officer was allowed to resign after video surfaced of him abusing his police dog the previous October.[2]

In March 2021, a police officer was changed with insurance fraud.[3]

In 2019, Salisbury police officers attempted to stop a 68-year old Black librarian for speeding ten miles over the limit. The librarian did not stop and led officers on a pursuit resulting in the use of a tire deflation device. Once stopped, officers arrested the librarian at gunpoint. The officers then dragged her by the arm and hair, and threw her to the ground while the librarian cried in terror and called for medical attention. Body camera footage showed that police congratulated each other on their actions, with one saying "That’s good police work, baby" and another boasting of grabbing a "handful of dreads". The librarian stated she did not see the police cars that were attempting to pull her over or hear their sirens due to her listening to loud music; however, the librarian pled guilty to Failure to Heed to Blue Lights and Sirens [4][5]

Two members of the department have died on duty, both in the early 20th century. In 1916, Special Officer Williamson Murray Linker was struck by a speeding car while directing traffic.[6] In 1909, Policeman William A. Monroe was shot and killed when he intervened in a domestic disturbance.[7]

Organization

The department is headed by Jerry Stokes.[8]

It is organized into a number of divisions:

  • Administration Division
  • Criminal Investigations Division
    • General Investigations,
    • Vice/Narcotic Unit,
    • Crime Lab and Evidence
  • Operations Division
    • Patrol,
    • Parking Enforcement,
    • Youth Crime Prevention Officer,
    • Community Resource Officers,
    • School Resource Officer

See also

References
  1. "Police Department". City of Salisbury. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  2. "North Carolina officer resigns over K-9 mistreatment video". The News & Observer. Associated Press. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  3. Whisenant, David (31 March 2021). "Salisbury police officer charged in fraud investigation". WBTV. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  4. Bella, Timothy. "Officers grabbed a Black librarian by her hair and tore her shoulder during traffic stop, lawsuit alleges: 'That's good police work, baby'". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
  5. "'I was scared for my life': 68-year-old Black woman describes traffic stop that prompted excessive force lawsuit". CBS News. April 30, 2021. Retrieved 2021-05-02.
  6. "Special Officer Williamson Murray Linker". Officer Down Memorial Page. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  7. "Policeman William A. Monroe". Officer Down Memorial Page. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
  8. "Police Department". City of Salisbury. Retrieved 2 April 2021.
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