KPD B-Squad Makes Arrest Following Assault and Impaired Driving Investigation On October 17, 2026, at approximately 8:38 p.m., officers with KPD’s B-Squad responded to a report of an assault on W. Washington Street. Upon arrival, officers spoke with the victim, who identified the suspect as 36-year-old Tiaria Fikes. Officers later located Fikes operating a vehicle and conducted a traffic stop. During the traffic stop, officers suspected Fikes was impaired and discovered that a 5-year-old child was also in the vehicle. Officers conducted investigations into both the reported assault and suspected impaired driving. During the investigation, officers located ecstasy, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. Fikes was arrested and charged with the following: - Driving While Impaired - Misdemeanor Child Abuse - Assault Inflicting Serious Injury With a Minor Present - Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia - Possession With Intent to Sell or Deliver Schedule VI - Felony Possession of Schedule I Controlled Substance - Exposing a Child to a Controlled Substance - Failure to Wear a Seat Belt - Failure to Secure a Passenger Under 16

I know I pick on the Chief a lot. And by a lot, I mean A LOT. But I really am thankful to have a Chief who has a great sense of humor and puts up with my shenanigans. He's a good sport, a great leader, and somehow hasn't taken away my Facebook privileges yet.

I bet your current patch doesn’t have a unicorn on it. Maybe it’s time to change that. Kinston PD is hiring.

KPD is participating in the NC Governor's Highway Safety Program's Child Passenger Safety Campaign. Officers will be focusing on child passenger safety violations, along with other traffic violations such as speeding. “Yes, we know we posted about speeding yesterday. No, that did not mean today was a free day. Don’t speed, and keep the little ones buckled up.”- Steve (probably. Probably not. Who knows?) @NC_GHSP

Kinston Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in locating Knolege Johnson, who is currently wanted on the following charges: - Possession of Schedule VI - Possession with Intent to Sell/Deliver Schedule VI - Maintaining a Dwelling - Selling Narcotics Within 1,000 Feet of a Park - Exposing a Child to Narcotics - Possession of a Firearm by a Felon x2 - Discharging a Weapon into Occupied Property - Discharging a Firearm Within City Limits Anyone with information on Johnson’s whereabouts is asked to contact Kinston - Lenoir County Crime Stoppers at 252-523-4444 or the KPD Tips Line at 252-939-4020. Please do not attempt to approach or apprehend him yourself.

Weekly stats are here. Control your excitement.

“Hey Steve, you’re always posting about not speeding.” Well, my name isn’t Steve… but yes. Yes, I am. And apparently I need to keep doing it. KPD conducted a one-hour speeding saturation patrol on Queen Street today. In just one hour, officers encountered: • 20 Speeding violations • 4 Window Tint violations • 3 Expired Registrations • 1 Failure to Carry Registration • 4 Plate Frame violations • 1 No Liability Insurance • 1 Failure to Carry Driver’s License That’s 34 violations in one hour. So from Steve, or whatever y’all are calling me today: Slow down. Love ya.

Drug Task Force Investigation Leads to Search Warrant and Arrest The Kinston-Lenoir Drug Task Force identified a pattern of organized criminal activity involving a residence in the 300 block of Lenoir Street in La Grange. As a result of the investigation, detectives obtained a search warrant for the residence. On September 18, 2026, members of the Drug Task Force executed the search warrant. During the search, detectives located marijuana and drug paraphernalia consistent with the distribution. Makel Sutton, 26, who resided at the residence, was arrested at the scene and charged with: • Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver Marijuana • Possession with Intent to Sell or Deliver a Controlled Substance Within 1,000 Feet of a Park • Felony Maintaining a Dwelling for Controlled Substances • Three Counts of Felony Conspiracy This investigation remains active, and additional arrests are expected.

Traffic Stop Leads to Drug Arrest On September 19, 2026, KPD’s B-Squad conducted a traffic stop on E. New Bern Road. The vehicle was being operated by 59-year-old Loyd Whitley. While speaking with Whitley, officers observed suspected narcotics violations that led to further investigation. During the investigation, officers located approximately 34 grams of marijuana, Suboxone strips, cocaine, fentanyl, and drug paraphernalia. Whitley was arrested and charged with: • Possession of Cocaine • Possession of Fentanyl • Felony Maintaining a Vehicle for Controlled Substances • Possession of a Schedule III Controlled Substance • Possession of Marijuana • Possession of Drug Paraphernalia • Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia • No Operator’s License

Hey kin. Heading into the meeting to talk about tonight’s checkpoints and saturation patrols. You know I’ll keep y’all informed, so stay tuned. Apparently “just drive normal” is still the best strategy, but I’ll report back after the meeting.

To “I know my rights” Amazing. Now stop speeding.

Almost Friday. Grainger approves this message. #AlmostFriday #GraingerApproved #KinstonPD #TherapyDog #FridayEve

Hey kin, McDonald’s invited us out for Coffee with a Cop, and we didn’t need much convincing. They had us at coffee. Come hang out with us October 7 from 8:00–10:00 AM at the McDonald’s located at 110 W. Vernon Avenue, Kinston. Grab a cup and come spend part of your morning with us. We’ll try not to drink all the coffee before you get there. Thanks to McDonald’s for the invite. See you there, Kinston!

TRAFFIC ALERT Please avoid the area of W. Washington Avenue and Abbott Street. Kinston Fire Department is currently on scene of a fire, and traffic is beginning to back up along Washington Avenue. Please use an alternate route and give emergency crews room to work. We’ll provide additional information if needed.

𝐊𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐧-𝐋𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐢𝐫 𝐃𝐫𝐮𝐠 𝐓𝐚𝐬𝐤 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 September, 16, 2026 The Kinston Police Department and the Lenoir County Sheriff's Office have officially merged KPD’s Violent Crime Action Team with the Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit, effective this week. This partnership strengthens our ability to streamline investigations, share intelligence, and work together more efficiently to protect the residents of Kinston and Lenoir County. By combining resources and aligning our investigative efforts, both agencies will be able to respond more quickly to violent crime, drug‑related activity, and emerging threats. This merger reflects our shared commitment to proactive policing, community safety, and strong interagency cooperation. Chief Keith Goyette stated, “This merger is a major step forward for our community. By joining forces, we are enhancing our ability to identify, investigate, and disrupt violent offenders and drug networks. Our agencies are stronger together, and this partnership reflects our commitment to protecting the people of Kinston and Lenoir County.” Sheriff Jackie Rogers added, “Working together just makes sense. Our teams have always supported one another, and this merger allows us to operate with even greater efficiency and impact. The citizens of Lenoir County deserve the best from us, and this collaboration helps ensure they get exactly that.” More information will be shared as the combined unit continues its work.

It’s Wednesday afternoon kin. We had a whole motivational post planned, but then somebody mentioned lunch and we lost focus. So here’s what we’ve got: Drink coffee. Don’t speed. Don’t steal anything. Return your shopping cart. That last one isn’t a law. Everyone is just judging you. Carry on. Try not to make the rest of the day weird.