LUMBERTON — Lumberton police are hoping to help residents of the city’s public housing developments take back their neighborhoods from crime.

With a $454,999 grant from the U.S. Department of Justice and two new patrol cars purchased by the Lumberton Housing Authority, the department can now dedicate five officers to public housing, with the aim of fostering trust between residents and officers and increasing police visibility.

“We look forward to a great partnership,” said Lumberton Housing Finance Director Pam Hunt. “We want to do everything we can to improve the quality of life for our residents we want to provide a safe haven for our kids so that they can live normal, everyday lives.”

The Justice Department grant funded four housing officer positions and the city is funding a fifth. Three of the positions have been filled by Officers James Walters, Greg Moore and Layton Brantley.

Lumberton Housing Director Larry Russell pitched the idea to purchase the vehicles after the Police Department received the grant, which is to be used to “build trust, reduce violence and protect schools,” according to the Justice Department.

The department was one of three North Carolina police departments to receive a grant from the Justice Department’s Office of Community Oriented Policing Services in the fall. In its application, the Lumberton Police Department detailed gun violence that “plagued” the city last year, saying half of the city’s homicides occur because of gang activity in public housing.

It cost about $66,000 to purchase the new Dodge Chargers and outfit them. Other officers throughout the city will still help respond to calls in the housing areas, but the five housing officers will focus on those neighborhoods and building a relationship with the residents who call the 729 Housing Authority apartments home.

Additionally, the Housing Authority has hired a safety coordinator, Jean Stewart, to introduce residents to the officers, communicate with the Police Department and help ensure Housing Authority policies are enforced.

The hire is one way the Housing Authority is working to improve residents’ quality of life, according to Russell. Russell said beautification projects are underway, additional cameras are being installed, and youth programs are being instituted.

Police Chief Mike McNeill said housing officers aren’t there just to lock people up, but also to make sure residents “have a safe place to stay where they can sit out on their porch and not worry about gunfire and drug deals on the corner.”

“We are going to go in there and let the residents take their neighborhood back, partnering with us,” he said.

Before the grant, the Police Department had one or two officers who could focus on public housing, down from nearly 10 in the 1990s, when the department was focused on eliminating drugs.

“That’s where we really got this concept,” McNeill said. “… We know it works. We did some great things back in the day.”

One challenge the officers will face is enforcing rules barring unauthorized tenants in housing, who Russell and McNeill said cause the majority of problems.

After inspecting the newly-delivered Chargers on Thursday, Russell, Hunt and McNeill gave Walters and Moore some words of advice for their new jobs.

“Be yourself,” Russell said.

Sarah Willets | The Robesonian Lumberton police Capt. Johnny Coleman show Lumberton Housing Authority Director Larry Russell the special seats and equipment installed in two new vehicles the Housing Authority purchased to help officers patrol public housing neighborhoods.
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_cars-1-.jpgSarah Willets | The Robesonian Lumberton police Capt. Johnny Coleman show Lumberton Housing Authority Director Larry Russell the special seats and equipment installed in two new vehicles the Housing Authority purchased to help officers patrol public housing neighborhoods.

Sarah Willets | The Robesonian Lumberton Housing Authority officials hope two new Dodge Charges will help Lumberton police officers dedicated to public housing areas to be more visible.
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_cars-2-.jpgSarah Willets | The Robesonian Lumberton Housing Authority officials hope two new Dodge Charges will help Lumberton police officers dedicated to public housing areas to be more visible.

Sarah Willets | The Robesonian Officer James Walters is one of three Lumberton police officers assigned to public housing. With the help of a Justice Department grant, the Police Department plans to hire two more housing officers.
https://www.robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/web1_cars-3-.jpgSarah Willets | The Robesonian Officer James Walters is one of three Lumberton police officers assigned to public housing. With the help of a Justice Department grant, the Police Department plans to hire two more housing officers.
Police want partnership with residents

By Sarah Willets

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Sarah Willets can be reached at 910-816-1974 or on Twitter @Sarah_Willets.