RFP Staff
♦ This past weekend sources in Salisbury Police, the Sheriff’s Office, and city hall informed the Rowan Free Press that Salisbury Police Department Chief Rory Collins is allegedly on his way out as top cop. Over the weekend Captain Sheila Lingle was the acting chief-of-Police. Police and city sources said Chief Collins is on a leave of absence. A time frame for the chief’s supposed departure is not yet known. As yet there is no official confirmation from the city of Salisbury government.
Conjecture about the Chief Collins alleged fall from grace focuses on Salisbury’s worsening crime statistics, the 5 fold uptick in the 2013 Salisbury murder rate, morale among understaffed police officers, the recent lawsuit alleging the inappropriate use of force by officer Chris Hamm said to injure a 92 year old minister in a senior facility, the mounting run of city-wide break-ins, and allegations of police brutality by the NAACP. The negative perception of Salisbury’s lack of safety has mushroomed over the past year not only in the county, but across the state.
