The Scoop: Burlington officer awarded, Mebane City Council to vote on inclusive playground

Crime Stoppers

A  Burlington police officer was awarded the Crime Stoppers Coordinator award of the Year by the North Carolina Crime Stoppers Association for the second consecutive year.

Bobby Davis was named the Crime Stoppers Coordinator of the Year in 2022 and 2021, according to a press release from the Burlington Police Department.

Davis has served as a Burlington Police Department officer for 22 years, working in various positions including patrol, criminal investigations and as a community resource officer. Davis has recently taken on the role of the Coordinator for the Alamance County Crime Stoppers program in addition to his role as Burlington’s Community Resource Officer over the last several years, according to the Burlington Police Department.

The Alamance County Crime Stoppers program was launched in 1982 and includes several Alamance County police departments, including the Burlington Police, Mebane Police and the Alamance County Sheriff’s Office, among others.

 Since becoming the coordinator for the Alamance County Crime Stoppers program, Davis has helped the program advance in several ways. Some of those ways include expanding the Board of Directors, hosting the program’s first fundraiser, and educating the Alamance County community on how Crime Stoppers works. Under his leadership, the organization has grown from 245 tips in 2019 to over 700 tips, year to date, according to the Burlington Police Department.

Play for All People

The city of Mebane is to decide on adding an inclusive playground at Cates Farm Park, according to the Mebane City Council.

The playground is to feature several interactive features designed for children of all physical abilities to enjoy. Some of the features include 8 interconnecting bridges, 5 tree house platforms, 2 slides, wheelchair-friendly swings, a sky hammock and a zip line, according to the Mebane City Council.

Due to COVID, the process has been delayed, but Councilwoman Katie Burkholder says an inclusive playground is something Mebane City Council has been wanting for years.

"I feel like it's important to have accessibility for parents, grandparents, children," Burkholder said. "To be able to have that recreational access, this is part of a greater conversation."

The total project is estimated to cost $1,377,809, including a $250,000 donation from Impact Alamance, and will be built by Beanstalk Builders, a e playground supplier and installer.

Council members will vote on Monday, October 3, on to whether or not to accept the project and bids, according to Mebane City Council.

This article originally appeared on Times-News: The Scoop: Burlington officer awarded, Mebane City Council to vote on inclusive playground