Alphonso “Al” Craven, Jr.
Alphonso “Al” Craven Jr., native of Chatham County, NC, was born March 27, 1946. Al was a member of the Chatham County Law Enforcement Officers Association (CCLEOA) for over 40 years. He served in many capacities over the years and was the CCLEOA Treasurer at the time of his passing.
Al has a lengthy and distinguished law enforcement Career. Al retired after thirty-one years of dedicated service to the Siler City Police Department. He began his career as a Dispatcher on December 4, 1971. After serving in this capacity for five months, he was hired as a patrolman on May 1,1972 and promoted to Patrol Sergeant on February 3, 1975. In 1977, he was recognized as the officer contributing most to the community and also graduated with honors from CCTI with an Associates Degree in Applied Science Law Enforcement. He was promoted to the rank of Detective on September 19, 1983 and in less than two years, was again promoted, this time to Sergeant Detective July 1, 1985. He was promoted to Major on July 1, 1994 and served in this capacity until his retirement on July 1, 2002.
On January 3, 2019 an identical plaque was presented to Major Al Craven Jr’s wife Alice Craven and family in memory of his service. The Mayor, His Honor John Grimes, presented the plaque to Alice and her family at the ceremony at the CCLEOA Training Center. The plaque reads: “In Memory of Major Al Craven Jr. for his more than 40 Years of Service and Leadership with Honor and Distinction the Chatham County Law Enforcement Officer’s Association.”
Al was married to Mary Alice Craven for 53 years and to that union were born 4 children, 9 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
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Tam de St. Aubin, Sr.
The Chatham County Law Enforcement Officer’s Association (CCLOEA) honored the late Tam de St. Aubin, Sr at the September 5, 2019 CCLEO meeting. After dinner with the de St. Aubin family, CCLEO President, Mike Koszulinski and Board of Directors, Bill Harman, spoke eloquently about the enormous contributions Tam de St. Aubin Sr. made towards the establishment and continuing existence of the CCLOEA. Mike Koszulinski stated: “Without Mr. de St Aubin’s generosity we would not have our building or range site here for over 45 years!” Board of Directors, Bill Harman, said, “Tam was a great man. He was a father figure to me for over 30 years and I’ll always remember our hunting trips.” Siler City’s Mayor, John Grimes, also spoke and stated, “Tam was a big Republican Party supporter who didn’t mind telling you what he thought.”
After the comments Bill Harman presented Tam’s wife, Norma and son, Tam, Jr. with a plaque that read: “In Memory of Ovide “Tam” De St Aubin Sr for his more than 45 years of Honor, Service and Contributions to the Chatham County Law Enforcement Officer’s Association and to the NC Wildlife Commission.” An identical plaque was placed on our CCLEOA Memorial Wall by Bill Harman .
At the end of the evening; Tam, Jr. was given a NC shaped Thin Blue Line lapel pin.
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Lewis Phillips, Jr.
SILER CITY CHIEF POLICE
On October 3, 2019, Mike Koszulinski, President of the Chatham County Law Enforcement Officer’s Association, held a special ceremony to honor the late Siler City Police Chief, Lewis Phillips. In attendance for the event were the family of Lewis Phillips: his wife, Pat Phillips; his daughters, Emily Belcher and Ashley Philyaw; his granddaughters, Addison & Kenley Belcher and Caroline & Meredith Philyaw and his sister-in-law, Teresa Phillips. Also present was the new Siler City Police Chief, Mike Wagner, and Siler City Mayor John Grimes.
Mike Koszulinski asked Mayor, John Grimes to begin the ceremony. The Mayor spoke of Chief of Police Lewis Phillips legacy. Phillips began his law enforcement career with the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office before accepting the position of Chief of Police for Siler City in 1983, He continued in Siler City for more than 20 years. The Mayor also spoke of Lewis as a a very civic-minded man. He was a Member or on the Boards of many different organizations such as: The Lions Club, Chairman of The West Chatham Food Pantry, First Baptist Church, and more. There was no question who or what came first in Lewis’s life; 1st. Family & Church 2nd. Golf (& maybe law enforcement?) 3rd. NASCAR! The Mayor told about Lewis asking for funds to send a delegation to Mexico to learn about the Hispanic culture so we could work with our Hispanic influx of workers better. He was a forward thinker. Mayor Grimes concluded by saying, “The highest compliment a man can hope to get is for another person to say,’ He was a good man.’ Well, Lewis was a good man.”
Siler City’s Police Chief, Mike Wagner, was next up to speak. He said, “You won’t find a Chief of Police, in today’s time, that stays for 20 years; it just doesn’t happen. Chief Phillips must have been an ‘Elite Chief’-he surely belonged in the ‘Hall of Fame’ for Police Chiefs.”
Fred Judge recalled first meeting Lewis at the beach and later learning he was the Police Chief. He expressed his pleasure at having many years of experiences with that “fine gentleman” .
David Seagroves, (aka-Big Law), knew Lewis and his wife Pat before they started dating, he told everyone how much Lewis had influenced his own career choices. In 1977, after Lewis was already in law enforcement, David went into law enforcement too. When Lewis went to the SCPD in 1983, Big Law left the Sheriff’s Office, went to the SCPD and Lewis gave him a job there. When Lewis retired and went to work for a funeral home; Big Law went to work for the funeral home, also. David followed his mentor, the “man he admired; a GREAT MAN.” As Big Law said it best, (Lewis)”He was a law enforcement officer’s MAN.”
CCLEO Association President, Mike Koszulinski, spoke last to the group. He stated that he only got to meet Lewis Phillips a few times but has heard lots of stories from others. As attested to, by all of the other people here tonight, “it is easy to say that Chief Phillips was an honorable man.” And we would like to present some things to his family. Pat Phillips, wife of Lewis we at CCLEOA present to you a plaque that reads:
“In Memory of Lewis Spinks Phillips, Jr.
for his More Than 40 Years
Of Service and Leadership with Honor and Distinction to the
Chatham County Law Enforcement Officer’s Association
And to the Town of Siler City
The CCLOEOA has a duplicate plaque hanging on our Memorial Wall at the CCLEO Association Building. We also presented his daughters with miniature badge/pins with Lewis’ badge number engraved on them, that read: “HEROS LIVE FOREVER” and “Thin Blue Line” wristbands to each of the granddaughters.
In closing comments, Pat Phillips told us that Lewis had known that he wanted to be a lawman and carry a gun, keeping the ‘bad men’ away, since he was 6 years old. She added that, “He loved Siler City and the Police Department was like his family. He did.
He loved the Siler City PD!”