Don’t Cross the Line

About one out of every eight people booked into the York County Detention Center comes from North Carolina.  I believe that this figure is directly related to the fact that North Carolina fails to fund their criminal justice system adequately.  The crime problem in Charlotte has become a city-wide problem. 

When Charlotte criminals are caught in York County and find out what sort of sentence they face, they routinely comment that they would never have come here had they known how severe the sentences are.  Don’t Cross the Line is designed to inform the criminal community in Charlotte just how foolish they would be to commit a crime in York County.

With the generous support of Plaza Fiesta at the state line on I-77, Sheriff Bruce Bryant and I have served notice on the criminals in North Carolina that we are serious about punishing violent offenders.  We hope to accomplish this by advertising the sentences imposed on North Carolina criminals caught and convicted in York County.   The message currently displayed on the electronic billboard reads:

We will change the faces and message periodically to keep it fresh.  Sheriff Bryant and I intend to take every opportunity to drive this message home through continued aggressive law enforcement and prosecution.  Hopefully as word spreads in the criminal community in Charlotte it will result in a decreased desire on their part to venture South to commit crimes.

Click here to go to my video page and see WSOC's broadcasted story on this important initiative.