A slow week for crime is a good week for citizens.

Sergeant Jason Daniels said their office continues its focus on being accessible and available to all the people of Ocracoke.

The officers made their rounds, checking in with open businesses and patrolling the village. Corporal Sitterson responded to one call at a business on the corner of Highway 12 and Back Road. A 19 year old white male, resident of Virginia, was charged with both shoplifting and DWI. Park Ranger Shane Bryan assisted Sitterson with the arrest.  Sitterson transported  the man to Manteo, where his overnight accommodations were thoughtfully provided by North Carolina taxpayers.

Two derelict military vehicles were successfully removed from in front of the Sheriff's Department on Ocracoke. The one that remains is usable, reports Daniels.

Daniels still sees golf carts driving on the shoulder to allow other vehicles to pass. "If you want to be courteous, just pull over and stop completely," he said. Continued motion forces the overtaking driver "to guess too much."

Passing on a double yellow line is illegal, even when passing a golf cart, said Daniels. Carts are "part of our roadway now," and the department encourages people to "be patient." The lesson here? Ocracoke residents need to model the driving habits we expect from tourists.

Ocracoke officers enhance their training by taking classes on line through both Pitt and Beaufort Community Colleges. They have more time for this in the winter than during the summer. If you see a light on late at night at the station, it might not be newsworthy, just people working to be better at their jobs.