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As if you need to add one more thing to your worry list this holiday season, here’s some news about scams. Yes, they’ve already commenced.

The United Way of Greater Greensboro issued a scam alert Wednesday after a man posed as a volunteer and tried to pick up campaign contributions at a local business.

The man claimed that he was sent by the United Way to pick up the company’s annual campaign contributions, although he was unable to identify himself as a valid employee or volunteer. The man was carrying a trash bag and holding a cardboard box that read “United Way.”

The nonprofit is encouraging all companies and organizations running campaigns to ask those who collect employee contributions for proof of identity related to United Way.

Online shoppers should be aware of how their credit card information is being used.

The Senate Commerce Committee Tuesday condemned three online companies, describing them as tricking consumers into signing up for subscription services

View The Associated Press story here.

The stun gun known as the Taser continues to trigger debate about its use in local schools. The next discussion moves to High Point.

High Point Police Chief Jim Fealy and Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes will participate in a town hall-style discussion at noon Thursday at the High Point YWCA at 112 Gatewood Ave.

Brian Tillman, a regional sales manager of Taser International, and Ian Mance, of ACLU of N.C., will complete the panel.

Less than a week ago, Barnes and Greensboro Police Chief Tim Bellamy defended School Resource Officers having Tasers despite concerns raised by some Guilford County school board members.

The school board has discussed the issue of Tasers in schools since the sheriff’s office began arming deputies with the weapons in 2007. Greensboro and High Point school resource officers were armed with Tasers for the first time this year.

In September, a 15-year-old Ragsdale student was tased. She is 5 feet, 4 inches tall and weighs 155 pounds. A few days later, an SRO at Northeast opted not to use a Taser. He wrestled a 200-pound student instead and missed work to recover from subsequent knee surgery. Students in Reidsville and Mayodan were subdued by the Taser’s electric shocks during that same period.

In each case, students reportedly assaulted officers or disobeyed their commands. And they weren't seriously injured.

These incidents followed the death of Guilford County jail inmate after he was shocked by the Taser. His death drew ire from many residents. Barnes once again had to support his staff, saying that they utilize Tasers to maintain order.

Wake Forest’s Dr. William Bozeman, a lead researcher on Taser use and its implications, released a study shortly after. His research found that Taser exposure overall was safe.

So I ask: What concerns some parents and board members the most?

1. Transparency from law enforcement agencies and the school system (for example, better notification of what SROs carry into schools);
2. The safety of Tasers; or
3. Something else entirely.

I know this blog is called The Crime Scene, so why would we write about flooding? Well, crime is under a larger umbrella of public safety. Floods, hurricanes and tropical storms certainly threaten safety, as you know.

Guilford County wants you to complete an online survey to express your ideas on how to become less vulnerable to disasters, such as flooding, caused by natural hazards. The concerns will be considered during the drafting of the 2010 Mitigation Plan.

The survey introduction reads: "The information you provide will help us better understand your hazard concerns and can lead to mitigation activities that should help lessen the impact of future hazard events."

To fill it out, click here.

Side note: Thanks to reporter Gerald Witt for the heads up.

Greensboro Police Chief Tim Bellamy confirmed Wednesday that he plans to step down within the next 12 months.

A retirement date hasn’t been set yet, but Bellamy said he intends to talk with City Manager Rashad Young about the decision in the coming days.

Bellamy, 50, has been chief since March 2007 and with the department since 1983.

Given today’s news, what would you like to see in the next police chief? Is there anyone in particular that you would like to see apply for the job?
 

A side note: we know the police department leadership over the past five years is a sore topic with many people. We appreciate your comments and opinions, but we will shut down the thread should the comments get out of hand through name bashing and derogatory statements. We are all adults here.  

The Greensboro Police Department’s Crime Stoppers Program will be honored with the FBI Director’s Community Leadership Award for arresting thousands of criminals and recovering millions of dollars in stolen property.

Charlotte Division Special Agent-in-Charge Owen D. Harris will honor police chief Tim Bellamy and Crime Stoppers administrators, Sandy Tew and Julia Styers, at 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Guilford Merchants Association at 225 Commerce Place. If you are interested in attending, organizers ask that you arrive by 9:45.

Since the Greensboro program started in 1981, nearly 7,000 cases have been cleared and more than $16 million has been recovered in drugs and stolen property.

Crime Stoppers callers remain anonymous and are eligible for cash rewards for information that leads to an arrest and conviction of wanted individuals.

Tips can be submitted by calling 373-1000.

The FBI award honors individuals and organizations for their efforts in combating crime, terrorism, drugs and violence in America and was created in 1990.

The award is given annually by FBI Director Robert Mueller III.

The winner was announced in August and the award will be presented in Washington D.C. in March 2010.

The High Point Police Department is upgrading the Web-based resources available to the public. To search for reported incidents go to www.crimemapping.com. This site allows users to search for crime around any High Point address, set up an alert to receive email if a crime is reported near an address, and customize the look of the map to include satellite images.

The site employs icons, such as a ski mask for robberies and a dollar sign ($) for thefts and larcenies, to help spot certain crimes quickly and easily. Users can even find out how close they are to the incidents. (See a screen grab below.)

The existing Web site, Police 2 Citizen (P2C), remains the same. P2C allows citizens to access and print online accident and incident reports, view a daily bulletin of activity, report a non-emergency crime or problem, and search for incident reports at or near an address.

Source: High Point Police Department

Some readers have contacted the News & Record and asked why Grayson Dawson was charged with a misdemeanor death by motor vehicle in the fatal hit-and-run on Oct. 24.

Let's see what the law says. Specifically, N.C. General Statute 20, Article 141. 

Both a felony and mismedemeanor death by motor vehicle require that the person unintentionally causes the death of another person.

Here's the difference between the two.

In a felony death by motor vehicle, the driver is "engaged in the offense of impaired driving under G.S. 20‑138.1 or G.S. 20‑138.2 and commission of that offense is the proximate cause of the death."

In a misdemeanor charge, the driver is "engaged in the violation of any State law or local ordinance applying to the operation or use of a vehicle or to the regulation of traffic, other than impaired driving under G.S. 20‑138.1, and commission of that violation is the proximate cause of the death."

This might bring some clarity to the charges. We will all know more about the case after Dawson's court appearance slated for Dec. 2.

Dawson was released on a $5,000 unsecured bond Monday. She will have to pay the full amount only if she fails to appear in court.

What’s scarier than the ghosts and goblins roaming the streets on Halloween? Coming home from trick or treating to find a stranger on your couch, for one.

Today's blotter:

Rockingham County sheriff’s deputies say Harold and Amanda Davis of 670 Belron Road in Stoneville returned home from taking their children candy-hunting around 10 p.m. Saturday to find a man asleep on the couch. One of the kids saw the man, screamed and woke him up.

When the man walked outside, Mr. Davis asked a neighbor to follow the man while he searched his home further to make sure no one else was there.

A deputy arrested Rogelio Bahena Bahena, 27, of 938 Galloway Street in Eden and charged him with breaking and entering. He was given a bond of $20,000 and is being detained by the Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Deputies said alcohol was a contributing factor in this incident.

Also, the Davises did not lock their door before leaving, deputies said, but nothing was stolen or disturbed.

On Oct. 14, an 80-year-old man killed a would-be burglar in his home. On Thursday, the Guilford County's District Attorney's Office decided not to press charges against the shooter.

Why not?

Assistant DA Howard Neumann said, according to state law, homeowners are justified to use force against intruders (1) when in fear of death or serious bodily harm OR (2) when they believe an intruder intends to commit a felony within the residence.

A reader from Madison questioned that law, so I sent him a link to the law and added it to the story online. You can check out Chapter 14, Article 14 of the N.C. General Statutes, also.

Thank you, Madison reader.
 

Here's the press release Attorney General Roy Cooper sent today:

Some consumers have recently gotten mailings that claim they’ve won a prize from the State of North Carolina Commissioners of Registration. To claim their prize, consumers are told to sign the form and return it along with a payment of $20.

The mailings look official and include a fake state seal, but the promised prizes don’t exist, and there is no state agency called the Commissioners of Registration. If you receive a similar mailing, do not reply to it or send any money. It’s illegal to require consumers to pay any fee to win a prize, and money sent to scammers is usually difficult or impossible to recover. Responding to one type of scam also puts you at greater risk for becoming the target of other scammers.

Attorney General Roy Cooper’s Consumer Protection Division is currently investigating these mailings. If you’ve responded to a prize notice like this one, contact us for assistance at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM. For more information on how to protect yourself including tips on prize scams, visit us at www.ncdoj.gov.