news-record.com

Our experience hasn't always been pleasant with cops. Prime example:

Mr. Carles Frye of 215 Liberty Road, Reidsville, approached Council about a situation in his neighborhood. He complained that his neighbor was urinating within 15 feet of his backyard. They were throwing big parties with 40-50 people there and having big fires on their property as well, Mr. Frye said.

Mr. Frye said anytime he brought up an issue Council couldn't talk about, let him know and he'd bring up the next issue.

Problems escalated about three weeks ago, Mr. Frye said. A police officer came to his house about 10:30-11 p.m. because police had received a complaint that his daughter was playing the music too loud. The complaint came from a neighbor, and Mr. Frye said he knew which neighbor. Mr. Frye said he was working at the time and was not at home. His wife asked the police officer why he was coming to their house and saying something about the music being too loud and not doing anything about the neighbors in the backyard? Mr. Frye said he was quoting his wife and daughter, who said the police officer told his wife that if she didn't shut up, he was going to put handcuffs on her and take her to jail right then, Mr. Frye said. His daughter spoke up and said why are you doing this, Mr. Frye said. The police officer threatened to handcuff the daughter and take her to jail too.

The Mayor stopped Mr. Frye. Mayor Donecker asked the City Manager if he was aware of this incident? The City Manager said he wasn't sure if he was aware of this particular case. Mayor Donecker said the City Manager needs to talk with the Police Chief about this and they shouldn't talk about it anymore because it is a personnel issue. The Mayor said he didn't want to give Mr. Frye a false sense of security that they, the Council, was going to do something about it. Mr. Frye said he has filed a complaint with the Police Department already.

The other issue was his neighbors creating fires and urinating near his backyard. Mr. Frye said he had surveillance videos of the neighbor doing this, which he had given to the secretary at City Hall over four weeks ago. He said he was hoping that the Mayor could reply. Mayor Donecker informed Mr. Frye it was not within the scope of his responsibility to watch surveillance videos. He said this was a situation that he could not become involved in, either personally or as Mayor. He suggested Mr. Frye go to an attorney for legal advice.

Mr. Frye said he had, but he couldn't afford the $4,000 to $10,000 the attorney would charge. Mayor Donecker said this is not a City matter but is a squabble between neighbors. He said he was sorry it was going to cost Mr. Frye, but there was nothing he could do.

Mr. Frye said he couldn't understand why the City Council couldn't create an ordinance making it illegal to urinate on private property. City Manager Almond said the City could make it illegal on public right of ways but not on private property.

Mr. Frye asked Council members how they would feel if someone urinated about 15 feet in front of your daughter, in view of your property and swimming pool area. The Mayor said it would only happen one time, and he would put up a fence. Mr. Frye said he has a fence up around his pool area. He said he felt the City should be able to do something.

Councilman Festerman said he would think if the neighbor did this in front of the daughter and she saw him exposing himself, something could be done. Mr. Frye said no, the neighbor turns his back to the fence. The Mayor again recommended a fence, something with overlapping borders so that people can't see through it.

Mr. Frye asked what were the height restrictions for fencing? City Manager Almond said he didn't know, but he didn't think there was a restriction. Mr. Frye said the neighbor had urinated near his backyard at least 137 times since December of last year. Again, the Mayor told Mr. Frye the best thing to do was to put up a fence.

Mr. Frye asked again whether Council couldn't enact an ordinance. The Mayor said that, unfortunately, on private property, if they wanted to be like an animal, they could.

Mr. Frye also complained that the neighbors have been draining water onto his property. Codes Inspector Tim Warner came out and looked at it, and told him it was a "natural flow."

Mr. Frye talked about the fires that are created on the neighbor's property. He said Fire Chief Bracken said he doesn't know how high a fire can go. The fires blow smoke all over his picnic area, he added. Mr. Frye said the neighbors' children also trespass on his land, but he won't call the police out on the children.

Fencing was discussed again. Mr. Frye said he has about 485 feet in the back of a yard and its shaped like in a triangle. His current fence is only around the pool area.

City Attorney Bill McLeod reiterated what the Mayor had said, stating that most of what he had said wouldn't fall in the City's realm of responsibility.

City officials told Mr. Frye that there was a City noise ordinance.

Mr. Frye complained that the neighbors kept a dog lot within 10 feet of his property line. The dog kennel had smelled so bad that the animal control officer did come out and make the neighbors clean it out and put lime down. City Manager Almond said there is a City ordinance against a dog kennel being too close to a property line.

Councilman Festerman said they could try to come up with all the "magical bullets," but it comes down to harassment. He said he wished Council could help Mr. Frye, but he agreed that building a big fence seemed the best answer. He said he hoped Mr. Frye hadn't brought more retaliation upon himself by appearing before Council today. He asked Mr. Frye if he had thought about moving? Mr. Frye said that's not what this country is all about.

Mediation was suggested if a mutual friend could be found to handle the dispute. Mr. Frye said he didn't know of any mutual friends, and he didn't think mediation would work.

He said he had been told to talk to the District Attorney to see what she could come up with.

steppingup@triad.rr.com

BJ does what BJ wants to do......BJ is also good at sweeping things under the rug....and pretends to ignore them...BJ sent an officer to a residence that stood watch outside while several people broke into the residence and remove items from it.....and then BJ would not talk to anyone about it....but those who were involved know all about what happened here....BJ has been in office TOO LONG....like some of the people in Washington also....
when people decide that their position allows them to do what they want to do....and they are not accountable for things which take place....because they can decide and they are above the law anyway....IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE.....

And by the way.....what on earth were the voters of Greensboro thinking to allow a brand new jail to be built and paid for with tax dollars which is going to cost millions of dollars to house inmates......BJ this is not Washington....but you are thinking like the people in Washington who are spending $ like there is no end in sight....

TIME FOR A CHANGE.....and I hope it will be soon....

I read the article about tasers in schools and then the following non-related comments. Thank you, Sheriff Barnes, for protecting the clueless as well.

Mike

I remember when those bleeding heart parents that did not believe in "spanking their precious babies "had paddling taken out of the schools.I hope you are happy with the results of not giving proper disciplin to your children.And yes I have two well behaved middle school children who understand right from wrong.Please get a backbone and teach your kids.Don't wait for someone else to do it for you.

As a sworn law enforcement officer of more than 20 years and retired military of 21 years I have seen what the lack of displinary action on the part of parents has done to the USA. Children have no respect, no guidance and no ethics.The jails and prisons are full of these youth who are there simply because their parents or guardians didn't take the time or make the time to raise them right. I have two adult daughters that have never given me or my wife any grief or problems in their lives, despite our divorce. It is not about money, the economy, the enviroment or any thing else. It simply because the parents, guardians didn't do their job as parents and now they want someone else to do their job and raise their kids. Then they want to turn around and blame the Police and society for the way they are treated or mistreated and for the crimes they commit and being arrested and in jail or prison or killed because of actions of their own choice. It is too easy to blame someone else for our own actions and not have to be responsible for our own actions. WAKE UP AMERICA, GET UP OFF YOU SOFT CUSHIE BEHINDS AND DO SOMETHING!

Greensboro's Finest need to be able to protect themselves and the proper students from the unruly. Some students are as big as or larger than the SRO. They need the tasers. They can get a rent-a-cop and use them if they don't want to have Tasers. I would prefer to have a GSO policeman who is trained in my grandchildren's schools.

I'm amazed that this is still a story. It has been about power ever since the board started complaining about the sheriff giving his deputies the tasers. Board members, who don't believe the kids could do anything wrong, want to put all the blame on adults for "not understanding" or for "not having the right training to deal with youth." What about expecting more out of our youth? What happened with teaching personal responsibility?

The two examples in the article perfectly illustrate the need. One officer successfully used a taser. The other officer, concerned about the controversy, decided not to use the taser and was injured.

Let's grow up people.

School board members... raise the bar on the kids. Who knows.. they might live up to your expectations!

Hats off the BJ Barnes and to Chief Bellamy for standing their ground.

Board member Alexander clearly has no clue what is going on in the schools, and is playing to people's emotions to get attention/run for higher office.

It might be prudent to ask Sheriff Barnes and Chief Bellamy if their departments have made specific guidelines for using Tasers on children; for example their use in elementary schools. But its the high schools that are the real problem, and those kids physically are adults and capable of causing adult type harm to other students, teachers, staff, or police officers.

Alexander should spend a week with an SRO and see just what it is they have to contend with.