Lumberton police chiefs fired

[Maggie-Doodle]

I just saw on WDAM that Lumberton Police Chief Mike Childress and his assistant chief was fired. Two other officers then quit upon hearing the news. The black lady who was acting mayor would not give any details and just said it was a personnel matter that had been considered for awhile, and something that they had needed to do.
Looks like the Burg isn't the only one who doesn't want "good" police protection or someone who knows what they are doing. :confused: Have all the administrators in our local towns lost their marbles? I am beginning to think they all are a little chicken sh**!! Citizens are going to have to speak out!

[Tommy9854]

When the guy asked her "If you knew this was going to happen for a while, then why don't you have somebody already in his place" she looked like a deer caught in headlights......."No comment"....Can you say cop out (no pun intended)

[daisy]

I'm sorry to hear that. I like and respect Mike Childress.

[carsalesguy]

mike childress is one of the best police officers that i know/ever met....had respect for him when i was younger and the more that i had read about him and talked to him about make me think more of the man..... maybe we can hire him as hpd chief?

[Maggie-Doodle]

Mike is a good man and the BEST D.A.R.E. officer ever! I have never met a kid who didn't adore him! The H.P.D. Dare program was a farce until he took over. HE raised money out the ying yang for Dare supplies and also got a fancy sports car donated and complete with fancy paint job and outfitted down to the last detail! HE worked his butt off...it is a shame that the HPD program is now pretty much non-existant! (Like the rest of the department) I wish him only the best....maybe next year he will win the Marion Co. S.O. race. He would make an excellent sheriff for any county!

[wilebill]

Sounds like Wynn's influence is spreading, along with his waistline.

[Conveyor Belt]

I want to know what the 'personell matters' were.

[noway]

I have also known Mike for many years.. I'm not for sure if he is HPD Chief material.. Lumberton has lost 3 chiefs over the last 7 or 8 years.. Small town politics at its best..

The mayor resigned a few months ago.. WDAM ran a story about some fishy things happening with the katrina relief supplies that came into lumberton from all over the US.. I have no Idea if this is the reason for the firing. Maybe some of the myhburg sources can find out and let us kmow.

The acting chief at Lumberton is a former HPD officer Chad Young.. :smt102 :smt102

I wonder if this will hurt childress in the sheriffs election next year?

[Booshay]

HE raised money out the ying yang for Dare supplies and also got a fancy sports car donated...While its nice that he actually worked and was good at what he did, I wouldnt exactly consider a Grand Am a sports car. Im not sure what the DARE officer has now, but I remember him definately driving that.

[Conveyor Belt]

Is there any proof that DARE works?

[Maggie-Doodle]

Noway I have to agree with you, I don't really think Mike would be HPD chief material either...he is to laid back..and probably not sophisticated enuf for this administration. Mike is plain ole, plain ole, regardless of where he is or who he is with..
Booshay, true enuf a Grand Am may not be a Corvette BUT the little kids Mike dealt with (bigger ones too for that matter) thought it was GREAT! The way he had it decked out with all the stickers and the sounds system made it look awsome anyway...the best part was it didn't cost the city...the car was a seized drug car and all the toys it had was donated! Not many others I know at the p.d. who could have solicited for items to be donated and there they would be. It was a great attention getter for Mike and I am sure he "saved" alot of kids because of the car.
Right after Mike had the car decked out he put it in a national contest with the company that manufacturers Matchbox cars....HIS car was selected to be made for sale in toy depts. nation wide! I think that was quite a feat! It was certainly good advertising not only for Dare but for HPD! If I am not mistaken, a portion of the sale of the cars would have been returned to the local Dare program.
Mike has initative, experience and a great personality and I think he will go far.

[Astra]

Is there any proof that DARE works? I don't know how they do things around here, but the geniuses at the elementary school I went to had the most worthless DARE program ever. They basically told us "all drugs are bad and if you see your parents using them, you need to tell them so and you should never use them." They didn't differentiate between Dad having a beer every once in a while or taking prescription medication to cure an illness and being an abusive alcoholic or a junkie.

My parents weren't real thrilled when I came home and told them that, according to the DARE people, Daddy was a bad person because he drank a bottle of beer maybe once every couple of months and that he had to stop or bad things would happen. I didn't take what the DARE morons said to heart, but some of my classmates did and that made for some awkward parental discussions.

I never took the DARE people too seriously. They also had us making balls of yarn called "warm fuzzies" that were supposed to raise our self-esteem. Instead, they just bored me to death and the sappy story about the little yarnballs made me want to hurl. Can you tell I was already a cynic as a second-grader?

Personally, I think programs like DARE would be much more effective if they stressed responsibility instead of the "______ is EVIL!" a lot of the schools I've encountered seem to push. Pretty much the same way I feel about sex education programs - just telling kids "don't ever do this, it's bad!" and expecting that all of them will listen is wishful thinking.

[cowgirl]

another hattiesburg in the making. easily predicted. making quick emotional decisions don't pay good dividends. it's unfortunate, the african american community needs the police the most. just monitor the calls for services, plot where the calls originate - check the community. it's saddens me to know that they fail to appreciate good neighborhood policing. then they wonder why businesses will not locate in their neighborhoods. isn't it interesting how many of their leadership decisions really comes back to hurt them the MOST.

[ynotme297]

dunno if its the same dare car or not, but there is one parked just around the corner form the pd. been there a long time. guess no one uses it anymore. maybe i'm wrong. just don't know.

[lamarrebel]

I have met both Mike Childress and Dale Turner (when he ran for Sheriff of Lamar County in 2003), and was impressed with both of them. On the face of it, this looks like a mini coup d'etat being put on by this interim Mayor. It would be funny if whoever wins the special election turns around and hires them back, if they would come.

I believe Mike Childress would make a great sheriff for Marion County. He ran as a Republican in 2003 and lost by a very narrow margin. Marion County I believe is in the next tier of counties to begin to see Republican success to begin to trickle down to the local level. Marion votes solidly for GOP candidates at the state and Federal level; it's only a matter of time before more success comes to the local level.

[Maggie-Doodle]

Not only did Mike stress being responsible and not using drugs, he stressed believing in yourself and that anyone could do anything they wanted if they had the will power. He also taught about peer pressure and how tragic things could happen. Mike is a fine officer and a good christian person who tried to work with the kids on their levels to get his points across....He would have made a fine teacher...I have never seen a kid who didn't like him or respect him. He always tried to help them and give them honest answers and boost their egos for the better. We need more like him, that is for sure!

[Maggie-Doodle]

ynotme, it is probably the same car....it was a black Grand Am if I am not mistaken...it was SHARP! Really sporty looking...The kids all loved it..it had one hell of a sound system in it...everything was donated to Mike and the program. The p.d probably doesn't have Dare anymore...HPD can't supply officers to keep the city safe little alone teach drug awareness classes! It is a shame too...that car got alot of the kids attention then Mike reeled them into his "flock."

[carsalesguy]

it was a grand am.....

#2.....does anyone see anything simular between lumberton and h'burg now? administration wise?........

[carsalesguy]

No Comment

[Seeking Answers]

I just have to comment about Chad Young being the interim chief. Is everyone aware that he just graduated a recruit class in 2002? He was with HPD for less than a year before he resigned. The statement in the paper says he was appointed interim chief "because he is the most experienced and has been the longest there." In knowing the things that I do, it makes me VERY sad for the citizens of Lumberton. That statement and decision left me shaking my head for a while this morning. :smt102

[Maggie-Doodle]

Par for the course...they get what they deserve! The firing seems to be racially motivated. IF I were Mike and Dale I would seriously think about a racial discrimination suit! I would be curious as to the racial make-up of the officers that are left!
I have been told that alot of sh** goes on in Lumberton...I just pray innocent citizens don't get seriously hurt or killed because of the lack of experienced law enforcement protection!

[daisy]

I don't know how Mike Childress couldn't be as good as Wynn. I think Mike will be just fine in the right position.

[carsalesguy]

didn't know about that piece of information......makes you kinda scared to go over there......

[Maggie-Doodle]

Daisy I wasn't saying Mike wouldn't be a good chief...just not at HPD...he is a christian and he would not make it in the underhanded stuff that is going on in that department and within the Burg under this administration. I don't think he would ever jeopardize himself and bow down to some of the things that are going on that are with most probability illegal!
I wish only the very best for Mike...he is a good friend and deserves the best!

[daisy]

I thank you for explaining. He would be good if they'd let him run it. No, he's a man of honor and integrity and would treat everyone fairly. Might not work in the present bosses whoever they are.

He'd fit in more at FCSO or LCSO than there.

[r13]

I think Lumberton has only two white officers now. One is a rookie who hasn't been to the acadamy yet and the other is part-time. Also, I think someone should look into why Mr. Young resigned from H.P.D. It would be very interesting I think.