James Laviner becomes Wagram’s chief of police

WAGRAM — After earning his Basic Law Enforcement certificate at Robeson Community College in 2002, James Laviner began serving as an auxiliary police officer for the town of Wagram.

Fast forward 20 years later, Scotland County Magistrate Mike Nobles administered on Monday the oath of office to Laviner who will now serve as Wagram’s chief of police, a role that has been vacant since September following Kenneth Locklear’s departure.

“Now Jamie’s story is one that kind of comes full circle … Considering that now he’s coming back to service as the town chief of police,” said Wagram Town Clerk Roosevelt Henegan.

Wagram residents, friends, family and fellow law enforcement were present to witness Laviner being administered the oath. He received a round of applause following the ceremony.

Mayor Barbara Pierce thanked local law enforcement like the NC State Highway Patrol and the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office who assisted with public safety in Wagram in the absence of a police chief.

“I want to thank you the citizens of the town of Wagram for allowing us, the board, to select who we felt would do the best as far as carrying out the duties of the office of police chief,” Pierce said.

During the 20 years following his first law enforcement job, Laviner went on to work for the Ocean Isles Beach Police Department and the Hoke County Sheriff’s Office, where he worked in investigations, testified in district and superior courts and was promoted to be canine handler while there.

He came back to work for Wagram as a patrol officer. Then in 2006, he began working at the Scotland County Sheriff’s Office as a patrol deputy and was promoted in 2010 to the Investigations division. In 2015, Laviner joined the Laurinburg Police Department as a patrolman and was later promoted to the rank of detective.

“Jamie also worked as a school resource officer which I think was a plus in dealing with the youth in our county,” Henegan said.

Adding to the full circle theme, the magistrate Nobles said that he’d known Laviner all his life and recalled him as a young boy dressed in a cowboy hat with a star on it.

“He had his guns on the side and his cowboy boots and his short britches … I knew from then on that he was gonna be enforcing the laws of this town,” Nobles said.

Before presenting Lavinar with his keys and badge, Commissioner Kendrick Thomas quoted a poem by the late Laurinburg Police Chief Robert Malloy.

“‘So let the bearer of the badge beware for the enormous burden it represents. Don’t tarnish it in any way, for the badge and its true bearer are God-sent,’” Thomas read of the poem.

“I grew up around here and lived here all my life. I look forward to working with everybody. I’m glad to be here. Time to get things rolling. It’s gonna be busy but we’ll get through it,” Laviner said.