DELTA OFFICIALS HIRE A TOWN MARSHAL

DELTA -- City law enforcement has returned to Delta with the hiring of a part-time town marshal.

Delta officials decided two weeks ago to hire Charles "Chip" Lawson, a retired St. Louis police officer who now resides on a Marble Hill area farm. The town's Board of Aldermen made it official Monday night.

The 46-year-old Lawson grew up in the Advance area. Five years ago, he retired from the St. Louis police force after 20 years of service.

Delta Alderman Woody Rooker said, "He (Lawson) just got tired of the big hustle and bustle of the metropolitan police force."

Lawson and his wife, Diana, subsequently moved to Bollinger County, where they live on a 30-acre farm. But Lawson said Tuesday that they plan to sell the farm and move to the Delta area.

For the past two years, Lawson has been driving a school bus for the Delta School District. He said he has "great rapport with the kids" and plans to continue driving a school bus, while also handling the duties of town marshal.

Lawson said that he is looking forward to getting back into law enforcement.

He said he won't be working a set schedule as town marshal. "I plan to vary my hours tremendously. There will be no set patterns."

Lawson said community support is important for good law enforcement. "Any law enforcement is only as good as the people that it serves," he said.

Lawson said he would like to be deputized and serve as a special deputy for the Cape Girardeau County Sheriff's Department.

That way, he said, he could respond to crimes and major accidents not only in Delta, but in the nearby towns of Whitewater, Allenville and Randles.

He said such a move would benefit not only the four communities, but also help out the sheriff's department.

Alderman Rooker said that the city of Delta has budgeted $15,000 for Lawson's salary and patrol-car expenses.

Delta, with a population of about 500, used to have a part-time town marshal. But for the past five years, the town has been without a marshal.

The town, however, has held on to its police car. The car, which had been vandalized, has now been restored to working order, Rooker said. "We've got the car mechanically in pretty good shape.

"The only thing we are lacking on that car is a back seat," he added. "We're checking out a few salvage yards, trying to pick one up."

Rooker praised Lawson. "I believe that Chip is going to make us a pretty good town marshal. He has a real good knowledge of state statutes and procedures."

The alderman said city officials are in the process of updating city ordinances to bring them in line with state statutes.

He said the town marshal will enforce city speed limits. Cars regularly speed through town on Highway 25 despite a posted 35-mph speed limit. "People are going to have to learn to obey those speed limits or pay the consequences," said Rooker.