Shawn Krest

The new police chief says a marked unit followed the mayor for safety

WARSAW — In an exclusive interview with Duplin Journal, Warsaw Mayor Wesley Boykin described deep, systemic problems in the Town of Warsaw that he says “go far beyond the capacity of any single elected official to fix.”

Boykin said he has been denied basic resources necessary to perform his duties and subjected to conduct he believes raises concerns about ethics, safety and transparency within the town government. Boykin said Town Manager Lea Turner reassigned his office to an exterior space shortly before he was sworn in. Traditionally, the mayor’s office had been located inside the town hall for more than two decades. Citing personal safety concerns, Boykin said he has not moved into the new location after experiencing what he believes were acts of intimidation.

“The manager told me that we have a camera in the hallway. I said, Lea, what good is a camera if someone walks in the door from the outside, throws rocks at me, or for God’s sake, shoots me — and all you can say is we got it on camera,” Boykin explained. He said he was not provided a building key or access to a town vehicle, as had been customary.

The mayor’s concerns were echoed by residents such as Marzella Morrisey, who at the January board meeting questioned access to elected officials. She said she attempted to contact Boykin but could not find a phone number or email address listed on the town’s website and when she visited the mayor’s office she realized it had been moved.

“When did the town, the town commissioners, or the town need to remove the mayor from the main office and have him located in the lobby area?” Morrisey asked. “When I came to the office that day, I found out that the chamber was being moved from where the chamber had been for the last 25 years, and I say 25 years because I returned to Warsaw 25 years ago.”

Morrisey also questioned the reasoning for relocating the Warsaw Chamber of Commerce inside the town hall.

“The Warsaw Chamber is a private entity. It should not be in the town hall. The chamber acquires businesses for the town and it should not — that’s a conflict of interest and for better business practices they should be removed from our town hall immediately,” she said.

Another resident, who requested anonymity, told Duplin Journal she is concerned that citizens cannot reach the mayor when they have issues.

Boykin told Duplin Journal he relied on the Chamber of Commerce for building access.

“They allowed me to go in to conduct a meeting in the building. But whenever I had a meeting with the chamber, I had to wait outside and yell up there for them to come, let me in,” Boykin said. He eventually received a building access card from the former interim chief of police but as of Monday he did not have a key to his office.

Boykin also described resistance in his attempts to engage with local officials, noting that of the five county commissioners he contacted, only Ebony Willis-Wells and Cheryl Smith acknowledged his request.

The new mayor told Duplin Journal that the town’s annual audit submitted to the North Carolina Local Government Commission contains identified violations. He said he was contacted by a representative from the commission and urged the town manager to disclose the findings. Boykin said he supports a forensic audit but does not believe the current board would approve one.

Boykin said he has experienced what he believes to be intimidation since before the election, including being followed by law enforcement vehicles and stopped under questionable circumstances.

Police Chief Darius Bentley addressed these concerns during the board meeting, and said he was told a marked police unit followed Boykin for his safety.

“They wanted whoever the individuals were with the perceived threat to see law enforcement actually following you so that it could be a crime deterrent,” he explained.

Boykin said he wished he had been informed of that purpose at the time.

Also during the meeting, the new chief acknowledged that trailing or following individuals can create a negative perception of law enforcement. He said the department is working to change its culture so officers are seen as trustworthy and committed to fairness and public safety.

Despite challenges, Boykin said he will continue to rely on transparency, public disclosure and outside oversight to push for change.

The board debated recusals, planning board appointments and welcomed a new police chief
WARSAW — The Warsaw town hall meeting on Jan. 12 opened with a discussion about ethics, conflicts of interest, and adherence to proper procedures.
The three-hour long session began with Mayor Wesley Boykin emphasizing the importance of reading ethics requirements into the record, citing a violation at a prior meeting. A disagreement arose over whether Commissioner Scotty Smith had improperly voted on his brother’s appointment to the ABC Board.

Tensions escalated as commissioners debated events from the previous meeting, referencing livestream footage, official minutes and personal recollections. The mayor repeatedly asserted his authority as presiding officer, reminding members they must be recognized before speaking and apologized to the public for the contentious exchange. 

The board then turned to approval of meeting minutes, with Boykin requesting a delay due to errors and omissions. Concerns were raised about missing statements and the legal importance of minutes as the official historical record. Staff acknowledged that while minutes are not verbatim, some typos and incomplete statements warranted correction before approval.

Additional debate arose over public comment procedures. Commissioner Jack Hawes insisted that the sign-up cutoff remain at 6 p.m., a position seconded by Commissioner Cheryl Smith. Resident Marzella Morrisey raised concerns about town governance, use of town facilities and allocation of resources. 

She noted that she tried to contact the mayor and realized that there was no telephone or email address for him on the website, and when she went to the mayor’s office at the town hall she found out it was no longer the mayor’s office. (See the full story on this)

She also questioned why former Mayor A.J. Connors was hired as police chaplain.

“I understand he has an office in the police area. And if things are that serious that we need a chaplain why we don’t have a jail or a cell down there. Our policemen should use the employee assistance program if they need a chaplain,” said Morrisey. “I want to know why does he have an office and is he paid a salary, because we speak of not having money at all.”

Morrisey provided each member of the board with a copy of the memo requesting to make it part of the minutes.

“I would like for these questions to be answered — not only to me. You can respond back to the citizens,” she said. Boykin asked the town clerk to consider that memo as a Freedom of Information Act request and suggested the town lawyer may want to follow up.

Town Manager Lea Turner said they need someone to serve on the Eastern Carolina Council, currently Commissioner Scotty Smith serves as the town representative.

“I’ve been doing it for a while, and I really don’t have the time at this point in my life where I can continue to put the time into it,” he said. Willis-Wells and Cheryl Smith volunteered to serve. Hawes moved to have Smith serve on the board and was approved.

Boykin was appointed to serve in the Eastern Carolina Council Rural Transportation Planning Organization and the Duplin County Transportation Committee. The board appointed Commissioner Ebony Willis-Wells to serve alongside Boykin. 

A significant portion of the meeting focused on vacancies and reappointments to the Warsaw Planning Board. Discussion centered on statutory requirements for in-town versus ETJ representation and the appointment process. Boykin exercised his authority under the town’s code of ordinances to appoint two non-voting, ex officio members, selecting Annise Best. Commissioner Hawes questioned the mayor’s authority in the town’s council–manager government.

“The mayor’s position is only ceremonial,” he said. The debate over procedural authority and ordinance interpretation concluded with unresolved tension, though Boykin clarified that the provisions remain in effect.

The board also discussed utility policies, particularly water and sewer billing noting that some industrial users exceeded capacity, affecting surcharge calculations. The policy was tabled for further review. Questions regarding contracts and bidding processes were raised, with Boykin noting that contracts using town funds are public record unless protected by statute. He also mentioned that a requested list of contracts had not yet been received from the town manager.

Warsaw officially welcomed Darius Jacobs Bentley as its new police chief. Bentley, who brings a combination of law enforcement and managerial experience, emphasized transparency, accountability, and community engagement as key priorities for his leadership. 

“Being a police chief is less about being a police officer and more about operations and making sure the public is aware of what’s going on. Accountability, trust, transparency… those are the things that I know how to do,” said Bentley.

The new chief outlined immediate changes, including enforcement of the chain of command, increased community policing, and clear policies against harassment. Bentley encouraged board members and residents to participate in ride-alongs to see the department’s operations firsthand. 

“We are going to be transparent. We are going to be accountable. We will be integral, and we will show you what the police department is supposed to look like,” he said. 

Bentley acknowledged current staffing challenges, noting that the department is “short about six positions” and is in a rebuild stage, stressing the importance of seasoned and accountable officers. He emphasized restoring trust and strengthening community relationships. 

“Doing the right thing when nobody’s looking, when nobody’s watching…That’s real integrity,” said Bentley.

KENANSVILLE — A multimillion-dollar school renovation grant, employee recognition, and upcoming county business highlighted the Duplin County Commissioners meeting held Monday night.

In a unanimous vote, the commissioners made a motion to accept a $32.4 million state grant  for the renovation of East Duplin High School marking a major investment in local school infrastructure. The needs-based public school capital fund grant requires a county match of $1.624 million and will be used over a three-year period.

Interim County Manager Lisa Hughes explained the funding is provided through the N.C. Department of Public Instruction and is intended primarily for Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties.

“When the bill was first passed, it was supposed to be for new construction and not for any type of renovations, but through the Association of County Commissioners and all the commissioners across the state, we worked with them to change it and recognize that we don’t all need new schools. Sometimes we just need to go in and renovate what we have, and that’s what this one is,” explained Hughes.

The project will involve a complete renovation of East Duplin High School rather than new construction. The county’s share will be reimbursable as expenses are incurred, with an estimated local match of about $406,000 in the first year, $1.136 million in the second year, and $81,200 in the third year.

“It is not in the current budget, so it is something that we would have to budget for in the future,” said Hughes. “They expect the funding to be used over the next three years. As we move forward with it, we’ll bring it back to you for a budget amendment for that funding.”

“It would be a big help to the county to get that $32.4 million,” said Chairman Dexter Edwards, adding that  the grant is a significant step toward addressing broader high school needs across the county. “At least this is a good start.”

Commissioners briefly discussed additional school funding, including North Carolina Lottery proceeds. Chelsea Lanier, Finance Department Head noted that updated figures are available  for the public on the state’s website.

Hughes also informed the board that two commissioners will be needed to meet with an accreditation team during a site visit scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 25. The visit is part of a streamlined re-accreditation process and will primarily involve a building walkthrough and brief interviews.

Earlier in the meeting, Hughes presented a retirement plaque to Lawrence Hope of Solid Waste, recognizing his 14 years of service to Duplin County. Hughes also noted that the deadline for applications in the county manager search is Thursday at 5 p.m., with further updates expected.