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City of Wilmington performs selective background checks for employees

Reported by Claire Simms - bio|email
Posted by Debra Worley - email

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) - The man behind the wheel in a police chase last month was a city employee who had a lengthy criminal record, according to prosecutors.

He has since been charged and fired from his position, but officials say they do not do criminal checks for all city jobs.

City officials run criminal checks on potential employees based on the job title.  They often hire people with prior records to help them earn legitimate money and stay away from crime.

40-year-old Anthony Pierce was a Wilmington employee before being indicted for second degree murder of a police officer.

Pierce had an extensive criminal record before becoming a sanitation worker, a job city officials say does not require a criminal background check.

The city tries to help former inmates get steady work, but not all residents think that's a good idea.

"We do try to look carefully at those we know have been, perhaps, in the legal system before to see if they would be a good fit and that we can try to see if they would work out," said Malissa Talbert.

"I guess it's something you don't think about, kind of taking things for granted," said resident Casey Sherman.  "You don't think about your trash man, if he's a criminal or not but those are guys that are at your front door every day almost."

Pierce collected garbage for the city from Oct. 2006 until he was fired Feb. 27, 2009, which was nine days after Wilmington Police Officer Richard Matthews died responding to a police chase where Pierce was behind the wheel.

The city said they do criminal background checks on employees who will be working with children or in sensitive positions where money is involved.

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