OFFICER'S
NEW SHIFT LEADS TO
OFFICER OF MONTH AWARD, BIG ARRESTS
Video by Elizabeth Mayhew/TCS
LINCOLNTON
-- When asking colleagues about officer
Billy Burgin, words like "nice
guy" and "team player" are
heard over and over again.
Burgin
was the September Officer of the Month
for the Lincolnton Police Department, an
award sponsored by Fatz Cafe and The
Carolina Scoop.
Exclusive
video on The Carolina Scoop shows Burgin
being presented the award by publisher
Jon Mayhew.
Along
with Mayhew is police chief Dean
Abernathy, who recommended Burgin for the
September award.
A recent
switch for Burgin from night shift to day
shift has paid off big for both himself
and the Lincolnton Police Department. And
for a couple of women charged with
obtaining property by false pretenses, it
means a trip to jail.
First,
Burgin arrested an employee of Lincoln
County Schools just minutes after she
left Kings Office Supply in downtown
Lincolnton. Burgin pulled over a vehicle
driven by 24-year-old Krystal Marie
Herndon of Georgetown Road, Lincolnton.
Photo by The Carolina Scoop's
Elizabeth Mayhew Lincolnton Police
officer Billy Burgin pauses for a moment
to smile while at the department the
other day.
According to
chief Dean Abernathy, Herndon used a
fraudulant check to pay for merchandise.
Burgin
took her into custody with the assistance
of Sgt. J. Caudle and Det. Chuck McGinley
charged her with one felony obtaining
property by false pretenses. Herndon was
taken to jail at the Kingsway Convenience
Store under a $5,000 secured bond.
Burgin's
quick action stopped another fraudulant
check from being passed at a local
grocery store on Thursday.
Mary
Christopher, 50, of County Line Trail,
Lincolnton, was arrested at the Bi-Lo on
Highway 27 west around 3 p.m.
"She
was arrested at the store while trying to
pass a stolen check," said
Abernathy, adding the checks were
reportedly stolen from Christopher's
husband.
Photo by
The Carolina Scoop's Elizabeth Mayhew Burgin is one of many team
players at Lincolnton Police, even
working the records desk when needed.
Burgin charged
Christopher with five felony counts of
obtaining property by false pretense and
one felony count of attempting to obtain
property by false pretense. She was taken
to the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center
under a $25,000 secured bond.
The two
arrests this week marks three big arrests
for Burgin in the last several weeks.
On Oct.
6, Burgin was in the vicinity of Maiden
Highway and Colonial Village Drive, when
he noticed Tod-Jaa Dazy-Juan Tilley, 23,
of Mull Road pass a stopped school bus.
Burgin pulled Tilley over, stopping him
around 1:45 p.m.
According
to the arrest report on file at
Lincolnton Police, Tilly was
uncooperative when it came to a vehicle
search. The suspect was even armed with a
knife.
Upon
searching the vehicle, Burgin found a
case full of marijauna in baggies. Burgin
also found scales with a baggie of
marijauna on it.
Tilley
was taken to jail under a $4,000 secured
bond.
"He's
on the ball," said Chief Abernathy.
Besides
being on patrol, Burgin has been known to
work the records desk, answering phones
and talking with the public.
Burgin,
always smiling, also recently took part
in surprising Chief Abernathy for his
50th birthday.
Burgin
served as the "decoy" while
colleagues prepared Chief's cake and
presents.
Chief
Abernathy, surprised by everyone's
gesture, laughed at the fact Burgin was a
decoy.
"He
can't keep a straight face," laughed
Abernathy.
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