Getting involved isn’t always easy. That’s particularly true when it comes to stepping forward to provide information that may lead to the arrest of someone who has committed a crime. For some reason, people prefer to remain in the shadows, opting to take whatever information they have with them to the grave rather than sharing it with law enforcement.

For that reason, many cases go unsolved or suspects, apprehended for some pretty heinous crimes, usually are turned back into society because there’s not enough evidence to convict them of the crimes officers believe they have committed.

One of those crimes took place recently in Dogwood Circle when 27-year-old Eric Tyrique Teacher was shot to death in Dogwood Circle.

Sadly, there were dozens of people around when the shooting occurred, meaning one or more people likely know what took place and possibly even who fired the weapon that took Teachey’s life.

We hope those with information about this case will come forward, assuring that the person or persons responsible for the act are brought to justice, as they should be. No one should want people walking our streets who are willing to take the life of another.

Staying silent allows that very thing to happen. Coming forward helps ensure another life isn’t taken in the heat of a moment, much like what apparently happened at Dogwood Circle just before the deadly shot was fired.

The Clinton City Council has sweetened the pot, hoping a $12,000 reward will entice those who might have information on the shooting to come forward and share it. We add our own plea to the reward offering, urging anyone who might know what happened and who is responsible for the shooting death to provide law enforcement with information they need to solve the case.

Coming forward is important in the solving of many cases. Investigators don’t have crystal balls. They need concrete evidence and witness testimony to lock down probes that lead to arrests and convictions, and oftentimes cases hinge on the eyewitness accounts of what transpired.

Without that all important account, crimes aren’t solved as quickly and dangerous individuals are allowed to remain free and at liberty to harm again.

We hope those who might know something about the Dogwood Circle incident take this into account and step forward with the information they might have.

Providing it is as easy as calling the Police Department or texting information to a tip line.

Anyone with information on the Dogwood Circle incident is urged to call police at 910-592-3105 or the CPD TIP line at 910-590-3009. Citizens may also provide information by the Police Department’s anonymous two-way texting service. This can be done by simply texting any information about the crime to 847411 beginning with the code word “tipcpd” followed by the message.

Please help if you can.

Kudos to Stafford

The City of Clinton and manager Shawn Purvis have done a good day’s work in promoting one of its own to the finance director’s post.

It was announced this week that Kristin Stafford will assume those duties, a job she has held twice in an interim capacity as the city searched for someone to fill the role permanently. This go-round, when Harry Staven left to take another job, Stafford got the nod, a move we believe will benefit the city for years to come.

Stafford is a Clinton native and Clinton High School graduate who returned to her hometown after receiving Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in accounting from East Carolina University. She has now been with the city for five years and has proven how capable she is at handling the job she has now been given.

It is a welcome sight to see young people like Stafford bring their talents back home. We need young people like her in our midst, becoming active participants in our community, at church, in civic organizations and on committees and boards where it’s always important to infuse new blood and new vision.

We applaud the city for recognizing that fact and Stafford’s enormous talent, and we thank the new finance director for choosing to come back home and hang her shingle.