Hope Mills commissioners voted unanimously Monday to add nine new police positions to the town’s organizational chart, making it possible to fill the vacant school resource officer (SRO) slots in Hope Mills schools for the 2024-25 academic year. These new positions include five officers who will be tasked with duties that were left vacant after a May 21 decision by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office to pull SROs from public schools.
Commissioners added new police positions and approve contract with Board of Education
What happened: Commissioners approved a memorandum of agreement, a contract determining how the five new SRO positions will be funded, between the Town of Hope Mills and the Cumberland County Board of Education. These positions will be funded by the Cumberland County Board of Education, according to a statement made by Hope Mills Police Chief Stephen F. Dollinger at Monday’s meeting.
Commissioners also approved the addition of two crime scene investigation officer positions, which will allow the town to process their own crime scenes and provide additional support to emergency calls and events where extra personnel is necessary.
“A football game alone takes six officers to provide security,” Dollinger said, emphasizing the need for additional officers.
Dollinger said these crime scene investigation officers will be trained by the Fayetteville Police Department and will be able to process all Hope Mills Police Department crime scenes by Aug. 1.
In response to a query regarding what agency previously processed the town’s crime scenes, the Hope Mills Police Department directed questions to the town clerk’s office and Town Manager Chancer McLaughlin declined to comment on the matter.
During discussion about this issue, Mayor Jessie Bellflowers read a letter addressed to Cumberland County Sheriff Ennis Wright. In the letter, Bellflowers apologized to the sheriff on behalf of himself and the board of commissioners for statements made at previous meetings.
“I am writing to express my sincere apologies for some unprofessional and thoughtless comments that were said by myself, and certain town commissioners during recent public town board meetings,” Bellflowers read. “These statements were judgmental and hurtful, and I deeply regret making them.”
In his remarks, Bellflowers stressed the importance of taking accountability for the town board’s comments. He explained that he hand delivered this letter to the sheriff’s office, and said he hopes to continue the positive relationship Hope Mills has shared with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.
Why it matters: These approvals bring the town closer to solving the SRO problem that began in late May. By approving these new positions and securing funding through the contract with the Cumberland County Board of Education, the municipality aims to remedy the removal of SROs by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office in public schools, a decision that took effect on July 1.
What’s next: Hope Mills Police Department will hire and train new officers to perform the duties of these new positions in the upcoming academic year. While the need to fill SRO positions is closer to resolution, the loss of crossing guards for schools is still a concern; Bellflowers said that this issue would be a topic at later board of commissioners’ meetings.
Board approves creation of new advisory committee
What happened: In a unanimous vote, commissioners approved the creation of a new Homelessness Advisory Committee. This committee will be tasked with engaging the town on funding decisions to help serve the local homeless population, and collaborating with various nonprofit, government, medical and housing providers, to bring awareness and provide resources to the Hope Mills homeless population.
According to the meeting agenda, the committee will be filled by six community members and one town representative. The committee aims to prevent and end homelessness in the area. Agenda materials did not clarify how committee members will be selected.
Mayor Pro Tem Kenjuana McCray asked whether the committee should have a wider reach than its current outline suggests. In her comments on the matter, she said she believes that the committee should focus on low-income individuals and families in general, and that the committee should include members who are not just Hope Mills residents.
“You have people who are one or two paychecks away from being homeless,” McCray said. “There are resources that Cumberland County has that we don’t have. I think we are going to have to be a little more creative with the number of people and who we pull in on that committee.”
McCray believes that the community needs to provide the homeless population with resources like professional development and community engagement events, a point that Bellflowers agreed with.
“Anyone of us in this room could find ourselves homeless,” Bellflowers said. “There are a lot of folks who don’t want a hand out, they want a hand up.”
Why it matters: The creation of this committee will aim to address the concerns of the community of Hope Mills and the needs of the municipality’s homeless population. The goal of the committee is to promote access and use of assistance programs to people experiencing homelessness.
What’s next: This topic will have ongoing discussion at later meetings. The Homelessness Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on the first Monday of each month.
Other business
Four new town officials were sworn in at Monday’s meeting to a crowd of around 75 attendees:
Robert Hurlburt was sworn in as deputy fire chief for Hope Mills Fire Department. After the brief swearing-in ceremony, Bellflowers said that this position carries a 10 year term of service and that a term of this length builds trust and fosters leadership within the fire department.
Robert Fields, Kelton Glorfield, and Tony Locklear were also sworn as police officers for the Town of Hope Mills.
Town Manager Chancer McLaughlin was authorized to execute contracts with Morgan Trucking and General Construction, and with Summit Design and Engineering Services P.L.L.C to construct a multi-use path around Hope Mills Lake.
In a 4-1 vote, Commissioners approved the execution of an easement agreement and a memorandum of understanding with GMR Capital LLC for the installation and infrastructure related to a senior center to be built at the Hope Mills Golf Course, a project that the board appropriated more than $450,000 for at their May 6 meeting. These approved documents lay out the responsibilities of both the town and the corporation in the construction and land use for these upcoming facilities.
The next Hope Mills Board of Commissioners meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Monday, July 15, at Hope Mills Town Hall.
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