By Miles Layton

PLYMOUTH – Retired Chief Willie Williams defended current Plymouth Police Chief Louis Banks before the Town Council on Monday, and council members voiced support for Banks as he backed the town’s emergency curfew as “a tool” for officers while the SBI helps investigate a weekend homicide.

A lot happened during Monday’s meeting, which lasted more than 2 hours; for more, see next week’s Roanoke Beacon.

For more on the homicide and the curfew, as well as a column from Managing Editor Nicole Layton defending the curfew, see this week’s Roanoke Beacon.

Back to the story — retired Chief Williams, who spent 37 years in law enforcement, said he came on his own when pursuing a long career wearing a badge.

“I’m not up here to make a political statement,” Williams said, adding that he had not talked with any council member or the mayor beforehand. He said he spoke briefly with the current chief the day before but “didn’t ask him” about appearing.

“Most of you know, I’ve been in law enforcement here for 37 years,” Williams said. “Raised my family here, went to school here, the whole nine yards.”

Williams said that short staffing, which has dominated recent council discussions, is nothing new.

“Trust me when I tell you, it’s nothing out of the ordinary,” he said. “The sheriff’s department has been short staffed over the years. The police department has been short staffed over the years.” Departments hire and lose officers constantly, he said. “That’s the way it is.”

Williams said that over his career, “these agencies, the sheriff’s department and police department, been understaffed more times than they’ve been fully staffed.”

The problem now, Williams said, is how openly the shortages are discussed. He said that since he left the department two years ago, “just about every meeting we discuss the department being short staffed, how many officers the department was down.” The result, he said, is that people in the community know about it. “They know they can do these shootings and get away with just about,” he said. He said residents even tell him how many officers are working.

Williams said the weekend’s homicide affected him deeply. “When I heard about the murder over the weekend, it made me sick to the stomach,” he said. He said he still gets calls from residents about what’s happening.  

Williams defended Chief Louis Banks, saying he has been handed a difficult situation.

“Chief Banks came in, and he didn’t have a chance. He never had a chance,” Williams said. “With everything that goes on now, he’s going to get the blame for it.”

Williams said every sheriff and chief he worked with had to adapt. “You got to adjust. You got to make changes,” he said. “There has got to be a better way.”

Williams pointed to the days when he led the department, when council members would stop by his office with concerns.

“It was nothing out of the ordinary for a councilperson to come to my office and discuss stuff,” Williams said. “You got the town manager, got the chief. If you got questions, that’s how you deal with it.”

“I’m not telling you all how to do your job,” he said, adding that he knows many residents and how they think.

Williams cited recent violence in the community. “People’s houses get shot into with kids inside of them. People’s cars get shot into. People’s getting murdered,” he said. “We had at least four murders this year.”

Williams told the council he did not want to assign blame.

“I’m not blaming you all. Don’t get me wrong,” Williams said. “I know you all are concerned with the community, same as I am.” 

Later in the meeting, Chief Banks told the council his first call after the weekend homicide went to the SBI, which sent a team.

“They are a valuable resource,” he said, noting that some people had criticized the department for calling the agency. He said the bureau’s director told chiefs at a training institute that “when we call, their guys are coming.”

Banks said he and his captain work opposite 12-hour day shifts, often as the only supervisory officers on duty. He said Captain Kevin Phelps was out with SBI agents all day Sunday after a call around 4 a.m. “There’s not much I can release of during an active investigation,” he said, adding that the agencies are working together “to put a stop to it.”

Shelton asked what the council could do to help, including funding overtime for mutual aid. Banks said he was exploring other resources and had spoken that morning with a League representative who offered help. “My office is open,” he told council members. “Y’all know my phone number. You know my email.”

Council members voiced support. Councilwoman Micah Weathersbee told the chief, “Call what help you need.” 

Mayor Crystal Davis said the council would “work hard to support PD and crack down on these things that’s going on in our community.”

Banks defended the curfew Davis imposed under a state of emergency declaration after a series of shootings.

“It’s a tool for us to utilize,” he said. “No, it’s not going to prevent everything.” He said it gives officers a way to stop minors out at night and hold parents accountable.

Shelton said he backed the mayor’s proclamation before she issued it. “We have to do something to address the violence in the community,” he said. Kim Williams said the curfew is meant to protect young people, not punish them. Davis said the curfew remains in effect “until further notice.”

Rhodes asked the department to prepare for Halloween crowds, and Banks said it is. 

Weathersbee asked for monthly reports on traffic crashes and safety recommendations. Banks said he would include what he can.

Asked about late-night businesses, Davis said the sweepstakes location was not open when the killing happened and closing times are set by ordinance. She asked residents to focus “on the victim and not the establishment.” Shelton suggested putting those ordinances on next month’s agenda.

Last note — I’ll say it: Chief Banks and Plymouth PD are doing the best they can with the hand they’ve been dealt — it’s best to Back the Blue because they’ve got a hard job. Per the curfew, Mayor Davis deserves a gold star for leadership. Though some folks were critical of Davis’ decision, it was the right thing to do for public safety.