After two years of false starts due to budgets and the pandemic, the long-awaited Eastern Division station for the Columbus County Sheriff’s Office opened Wednesday.
“The residents of the eastern part of Columbus County deserve just as much service and protection as the rest of the county,” Sheriff Jody Greene said Tuesday, before the event.
The station is located in the former Acme Delco Middle School field house. Previous attempts to open the station in another building didn’t work, for a variety of reasons.
The new facility features easier access to both U.S. 74 and N.C. 87, more space, and is located on property already owned by the county. ADMS was closed to consolidate with East Columbus Junior Senior High School in 2018.
While much of the work on the building was donated, some came from the sheriff’s office budget. Rep. Brenden Jones also helped secure funding for the new station in the budget that was approved by the governor and legislature.
Greene said all services available at the main office in Whiteville will be available at the Delco station. He pointed out that the 35-minute drive to Whiteville can be burdensome for citizens who need to get a copy of a report, provide additional information or wish to talk to a deputy. Greene has also assigned a complete team of deputies and detectives to the east end for the first time in the history of the CCSO.
The sheriff noted that during hurricanes Matthew and Florence, law enforcement had no central location to use as a base in the eastern part of the county.
“People had to rely on themselves or look to other agencies,” he explained. “This way, the residents of this area won’t be isolated from law enforcement if they need a deputy.”
The Highway Patrol will also use the Eastern Division station.
