Police Blotter 12/8/2012

An island resident was charged with second degree trespassing, and arrested around 7 p.m. last Saturday.  He failed to post bond, and Deputy William Boyd spent the night guarding the man at the Ocracoke jail.  Deputy Cole Boyd caught the Swan Quarter ferry on Monday morning, only to learn that Washington County jails would not take the offender due to mental health issues.  A state facility in Raleigh was the next option.

A medical incident derailed the trip at Pitt Memorial Hospital for six or seven hours, and Deputy Boyd spent the night off the island, returning home on Monday. 

The resident has recently been involuntarily transported by Ocracoke police to mental health facilities, said Sergeant Jason Daniels.  Due to state budget cuts, people in crisis are now seen for 3 - 5 days at public institutions before being released.  In the past the minimum stay was 30 days.  "You can't get fixed in five days.  They can't even properly evaluate you in that short a time," said Daniels. 

The challenges of dealing with offenders who must leave the island does not mean Ocracoke police are ignoring crime.  They are, however, grateful the island has been laid back and mostly quiet.