Police History

In 1899, the Town Board appointed G.W. Lefevers as the Town Constable. Through the years this position has been titled Town Constable, Town Marshall or Chief of Police. Over the years the duties of the Police Chief have changed as the department has grown from one man to a force of 16 full-time sworn law enforcement officers. As the requirements of law enforcement officers have evolved through the years, the qualifications to perform these duties have also evolved. Currently, all sworn law enforcement officers must successfully complete Basic Law Enforcement Training from an accredited institution.

In the early years, the Police Chief's duties included "lighting the street lights daily and winding the clock in the park." The Chief's present responsibilities include managing the Police Department, consisting of sworn full-time police officers, auxiliary police officers, and clerical staff.

Transportation for the Police Department is first mentioned in the Board Minutes of October 3, 1927, when the Board authorized the purchase of a motorcycle with a side car. In 1930, the Board authorized trading the motorcycle for a new Ford Touring Car. Today our officers patrol in vehicles equipped with the latest technology for information gathering, speed detection, and features for officer safety safety including prisoner transport.

For more information about the history of Granite Falls, please see Town History.

TOWN OF GRANITE FALLS IMPLEMENTS STAGE 2 MANDATORY WATER REDUCTIONS TO PROTECT LOCAL WATER SUPPLY

GRANITE FALLS, NORTH CAROLINA – Due to continued dry conditions across the region and declining water supply indicators, the Town of Granite Falls has implemented Stage 2: Mandatory Water Reductions under its Water Shortage Response Plan.

This action follows regional drought conditions identified within the Catawba-Wateree River Basin, where Stage 2 drought conditions require immediate conservation efforts to protect shared water resources and preserve drinking water availability.

Stage 2 conditions indicate that water supply levels are significantly below seasonal norms and that prolonged shortages are possible without immediate reductions in water use.

Town officials are urging all residents, businesses, and institutions to take immediate action to reduce nonessential water use.

Under Stage 2, the following restrictions are required for all Granite Falls water customers:

· No lawn watering or irrigation is permitted

· Watering of shrubs, trees, and flowers is limited to:

o 7:00–9:00 a.m. and 7:00–9:00 p.m.

o Hand-held hoses with automatic shutoff nozzles only

· Washing of driveways, sidewalks, and exterior surfaces is prohibited, except when necessary and approved

· Restaurants may only serve water upon customer request

· Filling of swimming pools is restricted to Wednesdays and Saturdays and requires a permit

· All customers must eliminate unnecessary water use, including commercial and industrial operations

These restrictions build upon previously encouraged conservation measures, which are now mandatory and enforceable.