The town of Brookford police chief was reinstated after being indicted on felony and misdemeanor charges.
About a dozen people came to a Brookford Town Council meeting on Monday to support Chief Willie Armstrong as the council met behind closed doors to decide on his employment as the chief of police.
Brookford Police Chief Willie Armstrong, middle, talks to attendees at a Brookford Town Council meeting while the council met in closed session to discuss Armstrong’s employment.
Armstrong, 26, of Hickory, is charged with felony altering, destroying or stealing criminal evidence and misdemeanor willfully failing to discharge duties. A Catawba County grand jury returned the indictments on May 5, according to court documents. Armstrong was immediately placed on administrative leave per town policy.
The charges are linked to an interview Armstrong conducted while investigating the 1992 rape and death of 13-year-old Isis Denise “Dee Dee†Dawkins. Dee Dee was found dead in the Henry Fork River on July 28, 1992. N.C. State Bureau of Investigation search warrants accuse Armstrong of intentionally leaving a phone at a man’s house to record a person of interest in Dee Dee’s case. Armstrong maintains his innocence in the accused crimes. The town council met in closed session for about 30 minutes to discuss Armstrong’s employment. Armstrong emerged from the boardroom and motioned for the audience to return to their seats inside.
People are also reading…
When Brookford Mayor Thomas Schronce announced Armstrong would remain as police chief, Armstrong’s supporters clapped, cheered and shouted, “Thank you.â€
“I’m real glad to have him back as police chief. He does a real good job,†Schronce said. “I think all this against him is politically motivated.â€
Armstrong announced he would be running for sheriff of Catawba County in 2026 at the end of February and has said he believes the investigation is political.
Armstrong said he is grateful to the town for standing behind him.
“I think that over time, that things will explain themselves,†Armstrong said. “I’m innocent of any charges. I’ve done nothing wrong, and I think that the court system will show that I intend to continue to represent Brookford with the utmost professionalism and integrity, like I always have. I will continue to provide excellent service to the citizens of Brookford.â€
Armstrong was supported by fans from his appearances on the TV show “On Patrol: Live,†his mother, wife and Dee Dee’s cousin Kessiah Young and her wife Stephanie. Terri Roberts, of Statesville, was one of the fans who attended the meeting. Roberts said she has been a fan of Armstrong’s since his first appearance on “On Patrol: Live,†and has visited him on multiple occasions to bring him cookies.
“I think that when he (Armstrong) has his day in court, it will be great, because then he will be finally vindicated of all of this,†Roberts said. “And then he can run for the sheriff of Catawba County. And it would be fabulous. I think that it’s terrible that the DA (district attorney) took the case away from him and gave it to the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office, because they’ve got a dog in this fight.â€
Brookford Police Chief Willie Armstrong, middle, talks to attendees at a Brookford Town Council meeting while the council met in closed session to discuss Armstrong’s employment.
What is Armstrong accused of?
The N.C. State Bureau of Investigation searched Armstrong’s phone and the Brookford Police Department on Jan. 27. The search warrant said investigators were looking for documents and a recording of the interview. The search warrant said Armstrong, along with Brookford Police Maj. B.R. Ollis, went to the home of a convicted felon, 81-year-old William Powell Crooks, on Oct. 6, 2024, to interview Crooks as part of their investigation into Dee Dee’s death.
The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office reported the incident to the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation in November, according to the search warrant.
The search warrant said investigators interviewed Armstrong prior to the search. The search warrant accuses Armstrong of giving the investigators an altered copy of the recording. The Jan. 27 search was to find the original version.
Due to the pending charges, District Attorney Scott Reilly has requested the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation take over the investigation into Dee Dee’s death.
Armstrong could face up to two years in prison for the felony charge and 120 days for the misdemeanor, if convicted.
Armstrong is innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. No charges have been filed in Dee Dee’s death.
