Neighboring deputies lending support today
By John Joyce
Published in News on January 31, 2014 1:46 PM
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News-Argus/SETH MABRY
Johnston County Sheriff's Office deputies stand by as Wayne County 911 Operations Manager Bryan Taylor, left, and Wayne County Sheriff's Office Capt. Steve Mozingo assign zones.
Members of North Carolina's community of first responders are banding together today to allow those who served under him to attend the funeral of Wayne County's fallen sheriff, the late Carey A. Winders.
"Every Wayne County Sheriff's Office employee will be able to attend the services today," Capt. Steve Mozingo said.
Personnel from the Lenoir, Johnston, Sampson, Wilson, Greene and Duplin County sheriff's offices offered to sit in for their brothers and sisters in Wayne County today who otherwise would have been on duty during the memorial services.
The jail staff, too, is being relieved.
An emergency operations center has been established inside the Jeffrey's Building, which houses the Wayne County Office of Emergency Management and communications center.
Also lending a hand today are the Goldsboro Police Department, N.C. State Highway Patrol and the N.C. Department of Transportation.
The visiting deputies will cover all patrol zones in the county and answer 911 calls. On loan are two detectives from the GPD should the need arise for investigators to be called in.
Inside the EOC this morning, radios, cell phones and land lines were being used to coordinate between agencies to ensure nothing was overlooked ahead of today's services.
Maps sprawled across desks marked the territories each agency would be covering and legal pads with handwritten notes lay open.
"It's a brotherhood, we all help each other out," said Buck Pipkin of the Johnston County Sheriff's Office.
Pipkin served 17 years in the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.
"I hope we never have to return the favor, but if we do we will be there for you," Capt. Mozingo told Pipkin's men as they arrived.
Wayne County Public Schools Communications Director Ken Derksen and Wayne County Public Information Officer Barbara Arnsten also were on hand, as was Wayne Community College Communications Director Tara Humphries.
OES Security Director Mel Powers oversaw the EOC's set up before handing things off.
The funeral services were to be held at 2 p.m. today at The University of Mount Olive.
Sheriff Winders' family were to be escorted from their home to the service, then from the service to Wayne Memorial Park Cemetery where the beloved lawman was to be buried.