Kinston Police Department: Communicating Threats Investigation – Arrest Made
On July 3, 2025, the Kinston Police Department was alerted to threatening comments posted on social media that were discovered during a review of publicly available information.
On a publicly accessible social media page that was giving praise to a Kinston Police Department Officer, Frank Taylor, 33, of Kinston, issued death threats directed toward that officer. Among the threats identified he made the following statements:
“Someone should have put that pig 6 feet under.”
“Cops should get bullets in their heads a good cop is a dead cop.”
“A good cop is a dead cop.”
As a result of the investigation, a warrant was obtained for Taylor, who was taken into custody without incident. He is currently being held in the Lenoir County Jail under a secured bond.
Chief Keith Goyette stated: “The Kinston Police Department respects and protects the First Amendment rights of every individual to freely express their opinions. However, when speech crosses the line into threats of violence, especially those directed at our officers or members of this community, we will act swiftly. Threats will not be tolerated.”
Neuse News is an independent, locally-owned startup based in downtown Kinston. We’re committed to providing free, hyper-local news across Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties—the kind of stories that matter most, delivered in a format built for today.
We don't charge subscriptions. Instead, we rely on readers like you—and the businesses that serve our community. When you shop local, dine local, and click on our sponsor ads, you help us keep real journalism free and accessible.
