Position/philosophy statement
The mission of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office is to be responsive to the needs of all members of our community as well as to those who visit or travel through our great county.
Current Occupation
Sheriff
Age (optional)
65
Campaign Phone
9192606680
I am a lifelong-Orange County resident with 45 years of law-enforcement experience, including 11+ years as Sheriff. I have demonstrated unwavering dedication to public safety. I do not believe that honoring tradition and embracing change are mutually exclusive. My leadership, expertise, and collaborative efforts have led to crime reduction, expanded mental health services, and improved facilities. My responsibilities as Chair of the Governor's Crime Commission bolster my belief that it is critical for a Sheriff to have collaborative partnerships both locally and statewide. My employees are my biggest asset, and it is critical that I train, support, and appreciate them so that they can continue to provide the highest level of service.
Building and maintaining a team that anticipates, embraces, and adapts to change is the most important and challenging issue for my office. Deputies and detention officers usually know about emerging problems months-if not years- before society starts talking about them. The opioid epidemic? The implications of raise the age? The mental health crisis? Those problems usually reveal themselves to us on the street and in our detention center. Encouraging an adaptable mindset and supporting the mental health of those doing the hard work is my most pressing responsibility.
We are in the process of bringing new records and jail management systems online which will replace our outdated RMS/JMS. With these, we will be able to improve our ability to use analytics to guide data-driven decisions, integrate seamlessly with our law enforcement and Emergency Services partners, and have more readily available real-time information about crime in the county. Likewise, a more modern system will allow us to query the data to provide more comprehensive responses to public records requests.
The work of government is its people. More funding could improve every aspect of our work, but we do our best with what we have. Under a budget that allows for quality equipment and training, our leadership provides the support needed for employees to come to work as the best version of themselves, ready to take care of the county's basic public safety needs.
The budget quantifies the values of our voters as interpreted by the Orange County Commissioners. As I mentioned above, societal problems usually reveal themselves on the street and in the detention center. If we are to address these emerging human service needs as well as our law enforcement duties, we will need increased funding for additional employees, equipment, and training.
During my tenure, we have made many changes to help inmates successfully return to the community. They are more likely to reintegrate well if they leave the facility with a clear path to positive change. Those returning to the community need housing, food, transportation, and employment. Thus, with our partners at the Criminal Justice Resource Department, we now have a peer navigator program to assist. That said, even with this support, inmates must accept accountability for themselves; I cannot force them to make good choices. But I can make sure they see me and my employees as resources, not threats, as they learn to walk a new path. We are high-pressure problem solvers intimately familiar with our community, and we are eager to help.
Thank you to the League of Women Voters for this opportunity to "speak" to voters. I'd like to encourage those seeking additional information about my philosophy, goals, and accomplishments to visit "The Lowdown" archive on our website at www.OCSONC.COM. It is under the Public Information tab. There, readers can find 80 in-depth articles I've written monthly since August 2019. It is important for an elected official to communicate with voters throughout the years, not only at election time. I believe my knowledge, passion for this work, and breadth of experience will be evident to readers. I invite them to seek additional information about the sheriff’s office, our programs, and our people that I can provide in upcoming installments of The Lowdown, and I humbly ask for their vote. I would appreciate the opportunity to continue to serve as Orange County Sheriff. Thank you.
Position/philosophy statement
I believe true public safety begins with prevention, diversion, and intervention, not just punishment. I support alternatives to policing for mental health calls, investment in data-driven strategies, and strong community partnerships.
Current Occupation
Law Enforcement
Age (optional)
45
I earned a B.S. in Criminal Justice from East Carolina University in ‘02 and joined the Durham Sheriff’s Office in 2003, serving and supervising in nearly every division. I obtained advanced law enforcement certifications, received many commendations, and was named Officer of the Year. I became an FBI-certified Hazardous Devices Technician, served on anti-crime and narcotics units, and spent six years on the FBI Safe Streets Task Force. I rose to sergeant, completed over 3,000 hours of training, executed 500+ search warrants, and graduated from the West Point Leadership Program and NCSU LEEP. After a career-ending injury, I transitioned to executive command, leading strategic planning, budgets, mental health initiatives, gun permit reform,
The passage of Iryna’s Law raises significant operational and financial concerns for the Sheriff’s Office in its current form. Signed into law after the tragic murder of Iryna Zarutska, the legislation limits judicial discretion and eliminates cashless bonds for certain offenses. While safety is paramount, these changes will increase jail populations, length of stay, staffing demands, medical needs, and operating costs. NC already detains more than 11,000 people annually with serious mental illness, and nearly half of jail detainees have a mental health history. If elected, I will advocate for fully funded mental health treatment, evaluate existing services, assess staffing levels, benchmark best practices, and share data with the community
Our response to the mental health needs of the community - I want to collaborate with all local governing bodies to implement a comprehensive and standardized response to our neighbors in crises across Orange County. This model would include responses from trained unarmed mental health professionals as well as co-responses with law enforcement depending on the risk assessment. The main focus is to provide care and reduce harm with alternatives to policing and prosecution. Standardizing this response allows community members, managers, and elected officials the ability to monitor, evaluate, and adjust in a pragmatic sustainable manner. This approach would leverage our investments and decrease the financial burden to the community.
I feel that programs that are focused on expanding jail based mental health and substance abuse treatment is critical and reducing recidivism. The existing RMS/JMS/CAD systems are outdated; this is where #DATA informed decisions are created monitored and evaluated. It also permits leadership, the ability to efficiently and effectively deploy adequate resources We’re standing on the edge of a financial cliff. As a result of my research, I have identified approximately $72,000 to $100,000 to be reallocated to increase housing vouchers for detainees during reentry and to fund a wellness program for officers dealing with trauma. How do we do this? By canceling the “Sheriff’s App”. This platform duplicates services that taxpayers already fund.
We will work with reentry stakeholders to enhance access for housing, healthcare, transportation, educational, and life skills programs. It’s also important that we connect them with legal aid to receive expungement where necessary and restore drivers licenses so that these individuals cannot only support themselves, they can start to support their families as well. Part of my platform is also to create a third-party independent oversight committee that could assist connecting folks with other community leaders, clergy, and nonprofits focused on the services. I would also like to conduct follow ups with these individuals to discuss services that they haven’t received from the county reentry department. Prevention.Diversion.Intervention.
My campaign is taking a different approach on law enforcement, focusing on prevention, diversion, and intervention, not just arresting folks. The existing care team currently managed by Chapel Hill Police has expanded to Carrboro with great success, and my hope is to expand that throughout the county. I also am focused on protecting our simple and constitutional rights amid the chaos and fear that ICE continues to create across our nation. As a local sheriff, I cannot enforce federal law, so I don’t intend to, nor do I intend to obstruct it. Notwithstanding if there’s any sign of excessive force or failure to provide medical care, my deputies will intervene without delay to reduce harm, extend care and hold those involved accountable, including the leadership. We must also advocate for common sense, gun laws, something that the current Sheriff has failed to do. In fact, he was the president of NCSA when this law was passed. Public safety isn’t about more cops, it’s about the right cops
