BY MILES LAYTON
Wednesday morning, let’s start with some good news — Headline: WSSU Deputy Chief Henry A. King Jr. Honored with HSI Task Force Badge and Credentials
Former Edenton Police Chief King recently celebrated 14 Years of Distinguished Federal Service with Homeland Security Investigations. Congrats!
The Winston-Salem State University Police Department proudly announces that Deputy Chief King has been awarded his Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task Force Officer badge and credentials (Retired), recognizing an exceptional 14-year tenure of federal service, according to a press release from Winston Salem State University.
Deputy Chief King served as a Task Force Officer (TFO) with HSI, a critical role that bridged local and federal law enforcement efforts to combat threats to national security and public safety. Throughout his career, he worked numerous high-profile cases, including a nationally recognized initiative against counterfeit goods that earned him a spotlight feature on Good Morning America.
“It was truly an honor and privilege to work alongside HSI and help make a difference in our communities especially Rocky Mount and Edenton, NC,” said King. “I would encourage our young men and women to consider working with HSI as a career because they are the premier Federal Agency.”
HSI, a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), collaborates with local departments through its Task Force program, drawing on the expertise and leadership of officers like King to investigate transnational crimes, including drug trafficking, cybercrime, and intellectual property theft.
Deputy Chief King’s dedication and leadership have elevated the standards of excellence at Winston-Salem State University Police Department. His federal service has not only brought distinction to WSSU but also served as a powerful example of interagency cooperation and public service.
“We are incredibly proud of Deputy Chief King’s accomplishments and lasting impact,” said Amir Henry, Chief of Police at WSSU. “His recognition by HSI reflects both his personal commitment and the caliber of professionalism we strive for in our department.”
Speaking of King, I’m reminded of his tour of duty in Edenton. Great father, good cop and pretty transparent when it came to providing details about crime and such – same as it is with Chief David LaFon.
Fast forward to the present — there was a recent report from an out-of-town media outlet that spread near and far across social media, that local law enforcement was hiding something after an unattended death, so much so that my phone was blowing up. Rather than chase the story down a damn rabbit hole, I made a phone call to learn more about what happened – nothing that deserves any ink.
Bad reporting, later retracted by that media outlet but only after the damage was done, caused the family pain and unfairly cast Edenton in a bad light. I know reporters make mistakes – I’ve certainly made my fair share – but I’ve always followed what is now known as the Bongino Rule – wait for data and evidence before jumping to conclusions or accepting speculative narratives.
As I have been reporting in these parts for many years – there is no secret cabal of law enforcement or town officials who keep things out of the headlines.
Unless you are known to be a moron reporter, of which there are many, I’ve always found that local law enforcement to be very transparent, and open to interviews. I had a very good working relationship with Chief King and certainly now, Chief LaFon, Sheriff Edward “Scooter” Basnight and from back in the day, Sheriff Dwayne Goodwin. Same can be said for Perquimans County Sheriff Shelby White.
The Albemarle Observer publishes its crime reports as we receive them and as we have time to post them to the web – if the crime news warrants any time or attention. For example, a high speed car chase in Craven County is more interesting than a homeless guy falling asleep in the park.
Dear media – After decades – decades – of covering courts and cops for newspapers large and small, I can say with certainty that there is a time and place for crime reporting – stories should always serve the public interest. Please make sure you have all the facts before saying anything. Remember, there is only so much law enforcement can or should reveal during the course of an active investigation.