Pubdate: Thu, 13 Dec 2001
Source: Dispatch, The (NC)
Copyright: 2001, The Lexington Dispatch
Contact:  http://www.the-dispatch.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1583
Author: William Keesler

SHERIFF PROPOSES MILITARY-STYLE PROGRAM FOR YOUTH

The Davidson County sheriff's office wants to start a military-style 
program to help youngsters missing school, disobeying teachers and parents, 
abusing drugs or alcohol, or committing other minor crimes.

The county commissioners Tuesday night rejected a request for $33,400 in 
matching funds so the sheriff's office could seek a $100,200 grant from the 
Governor's Crime Commission to start the program.

But Sgt. Timothy W. Sells, who presented the request, said Wednesday he 
will seek startup funds from private sources.

The program has been dubbed Operation SPYDER, an apparent reference to 
Sheriff Gerald Hege's Spider car but standing for "Stopping Progressing 
Youth Delinquency through Enhanced Regiment."

According to the grant proposal, juvenile offenses have continued to 
increase, locally and nationally, over the past eight years even as the 
overall crime rate has gone down.

Operation SPYDER would place about 30 youngsters identified as "at risk" in 
a military barracks-style building containing military surplus bedding on 
100 acres adjoining the county landfill for 10 to 30 days of discipline, 
physical exercise and instruction about anger management, conflict 
resolution and avoiding substance abuse from three deputies trained in 
drill instruction at a military facility.

After completing the program, the youngsters would receive adult mentors 
and would be evaluated to assess the program's success.

"Is it a boot camp?" Sells asked during his presentation to the board of 
commissioners. "No."

However, board members were skeptical. Even Priscilla Hege, whose husband 
works for the sheriff's office, said, "All that sounds military to me. Can 
you clear that up?"

Commissioner Fred Sink, a former sheriff, asked, "Why is the military 
injected into this thing?"

Sheriff Gerald Hege has received both praise and criticism recently for 
turning his courthouse office into a military-style bunker.

"We need to have this kind of discipline so they (youngsters in the 
program) will understand what they can't do," Sells said. He doesn't think 
suitable instructors for the program's deputies can be found outside the 
military, he said.

The commissioners raised lots of other questions.

Sells said the sheriff's office would need to add three deputies to operate 
the program. But board Chairman Larry Potts asked how three deputies could 
monitor 30 youngsters 24 hours a day.

Sells said he would help as director of the program and other deputies 
could be called in if needed. Potts, however, said that might pull deputies 
away from regular law enforcement duties in the county.

In answer to a query from Fred McClure, Sells said hiring and equipping 
personnel for the program would cost about $120,000. McClure then pointed 
out that less than $15,000 from the grant and the proposed county match 
would remain for other program expenses.

Sells said Operation SPYDER is similar to a successful program that he and 
the sheriff traveled to see in Oklahoma. Sells said only three comparable 
programs exist in North Carolina - one state program in eastern North 
Carolina, another state program in western North Carolina and a private 
program in Hickory. Operation SPYDER could be offered for use by 
neighboring counties on a cooperative basis, the grant proposal said.

But board Vice Chairman Cindy Akins, who represents the commissioners on 
the county Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, said other county agencies 
operate or are starting programs for juveniles. County Manager Robert Hyatt 
suggested the sheriff's office work through the council, which receives 
about $250,000 in state funding annually, he said.

Sells presented the request for matching funds just two weeks after the 
commissioners cut more than $1.1 million from this year's county budget, 
including $95,000 from the sheriff's office and jail. A motion by Akins, 
seconded by Sink, to deny the request until the county's finances improve 
passed by a 5-2 vote, with Hege and Potts voting against.

After the board voted down a request from Commissioner Billy Joe Kepley for 
$28,000 to hire a firm to develop a master plan for Boone's Cave park, some 
commissioners tried to resurrect the Operation SPYDER request.

Priscilla Hege made a motion, seconded by Potts, to vote again on the 
request, but her motion failed by a 4-3 vote, with Hege, Potts and McClure 
voting in favor.

Since the 4-3 vote was different from the earlier 5-2 vote, however, Potts 
said parliamentary procedure allowed a re-vote on the Operation SPYDER 
request. But the request failed again - this time by a 4-3 vote, with Hege, 
Potts and McClure supporting the request.
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