
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: FRIDAY, July 2, 1993                   TAG: 9307020192
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: DUBLIN                                LENGTH: Short

DUBLIN POLICEMAN REINSTATED

Town Council unanimously reinstated police Officer J.W. "Tommy" Dobbins, who had been suspended pending an investigation into money missing from a cooperative food program.

Mayor Benny Keister told council Thursday that a state police investigation found "no criminal wrongdoing."

In early May, the town suspended Dobbins without pay, and a $1,600 judgment was entered against him and his wife, Linda, for money owed to SHARE Virginia, a nonprofit community service and food distribution program. The Dobbinses were hosts for SHARE.

Kathy Raines, SHARE's director, said the couple was supposed to collect money from Dublin-area participants and forward it to SHARE. But in December and January, Raines said, people got their food packages "but we didn't get the money."

The Virginia State Police investigated at the request of Commonwealth's Attorney Everett Shockley, because Dobbins is the brother of Pulaski County Sheriff Ralph Dobbins.

Keister said Dobbins' reinstatement was effective immediately. It was uncertain if Dobbins would get back pay, however.

There was no word on the status of the investigation on Linda Dobbins.

by CNB