Helping those hit by Harvey
By Steve Herring
Published in News on September 3, 2017 4:08 PM
The Mount Olive and Goldsboro Police Departments have confirmed they are collecting donations for the relief effort for victims of Hurricane Harvey.
Residents are being asked to help in a statewide effort to collect items of clothing and hygiene products for members of the Houston Police Department and their families.
Both the Mount Olive and Goldsboro Police Departments have confirmed they are collecting donations for the effort.
The effort is being spearheaded by David L. Hess, Roxboro police chief, on behalf of the North Carolina Association of Chiefs of Police.
In an email sent to association members, Hess said he had talked directly to Houston Chief Art Acevedo about his staff's needs.
"His officers are in need of underwear, socks, hygiene products and kids clothing for the officers' kids," Hess said. "I think NCACP should lead a N.C. effort to raise these items.
"If we can set a deadline of September 15th that should give enough time to collect everything and send it out. I am offering Roxboro PD as the primary drop off or shipping site to receive donated products. I will mail them to Chief Acevedo once they are received."
Association members may mail their donations to the Roxboro Police Department, C/O Houston PD Relief Coordinator, 109 N. Lamar St., Roxboro, N.C. 27573.
Goldsboro Police Chief Mike West said people can bring donations, such as clothing for children and adults, hygiene products and other necessary items, to the Goldsboro Police Department at 204 S. Center St.
West said an overflow site for donations will be established if necessary.
Mount Olive Chief of Police Tommy Brown received the email at the first of the last week and talked to Town Manager Charles Brown about helping.
"I sent it out to all our guys in an email form of what they can get and use the courtroom as a drop-off point for us until the seventh of September," Tommy Brown said. "Then we can load everything up that evening in a trailer. Then our game plan is to get it up there on Sept. 12."
Making sure that law enforcement is looked after is one of the most important things people can do, Charles Brown said.
As such, the local effort also is appealing to area residents, he said.
"We are asking the public to participate as well, but we want just the items that they have specified," Charles Brown said. "We need specifically underwear, socks for male and female adult officers, toiletries, soap, toothbrushes and razors, hygiene products and new clothes for those officers kids. Those are the most basic necessities that they are asking for.
"They can't be in the shelters. They are out working on the streets trying to get people out of the flood, save lives. Those are the most basic necessities they are asking for so I think the whole community needs to step up. I mean people helped us out during (Hurricane) Matthew, and we weren't in nearly as bad a situation."
Charles Brown said he bothered by a "great tendency" in society to paint all law enforcement with a broad brush in a negative light.
He said he has seen that negativity in Mount Olive, but when body camera videos are reviewed, the result is that the complaint is unfounded.
"Our officers are professional and well mannered," Charles Brown said. "It irks me that people tend top paint law enforcement in that negative light. It is important that we reach out and help those people. Their lives, and families and homes are in danger as well, and I just think it is extremely important that we reach out and help them.
"We want to reach out and help those guys and women because they are in a tough situation, and they are still having to work through this."
Also, Houston is just getting ready to see the worst of what is happening, he said.
"When the water goes down that is when you really see the bad stuff," he said. "My goal is to have a nice trailer load of stuff to take and drop of in Roxboro. I'd like a trailerful."
Items can be dropped off at the police station on East James Street until Sept. 7.
Charles Brown said the town would pick up large donations.
On Sept. 12, Tommy Brown, Public Works Director Jammie Royall and Charles Brown will take everything to Roxboro for transport to Houston.
For more information about the Mount Olive drive, call the police station at 919-658-5031, ext. 100.
News-Argus Staff Writer Ethan Smith contributed to this story.