The Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of the county and is elected in partisan elections for a 4-year term. No person is eligible to serve as sheriff if that person has been convicted of a felony, whether or not their rights of citizenship have been restored. Duties of the Sheriff’s office include the operation of the jail, law enforcement, providing security for courts, serving criminal warrants and other writs and summonses, and transporting prisoners.
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Position/philosophy statement
I believe strongly that a successful Sheriff's Office must lead with professionalism, respect and accountability. We must continue to earn our citizens trust every day through transparency, fairness and a commitment to treating people with dignity.
Current Occupation
Chief Deputy, Carteret County Sheriff's Office
Age (optional)
60
Campaign Phone
252-241-0286
I have worked for the Sheriff's Office for the last 10 years and have served as the Chief Deputy for the last 2 years. Prior to this I worked and retired from the Highway Patrol at the rank of Captain where I held the position of Troop Commander. I was responsible for 20 counties, 140 uniformed and civilian personnel, a radio communication center, radio repair and installation shop and vehicle garage. I hold a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from ECU and successfully completed the semester long Administrative Officers Management Program from NCSU. I have also successfully completed the Chief Deputies Leadership Institute sponsored by the NC Sheriff's Association. This will be the third year I have worked on the Office budget.
Salaries are a challenge for all law enforcement agencies. They need to be competitive to hire and retain the most professionally qualified staff. We have been working with the County Commissioners and the County Manager to address this challenge. Also, our jail is 30 years old and is limited as to the services and housing it can provide for special needs inmates. The capacity for our jail is not meeting the needs of our growing community. It is significantly over capacity at any given time.
Mental Health care is becoming another major issue for NC. The NC House of Representatives has created a sub-committee to explore solutions to this problem. Our Office transports Involuntary Commitment Patients all across our state on a daily basis. I will explore ways to connect people in mental health crisis when they enter our jail with the services that can diagnose and treat their needs. The Sheriff's Office currently has a contract with Correctional Behavioral Health to provide mental health care for individuals while incarcerated. Partnerships with groups like Trillium Health Resources will be a starting point when they are released.
Every division within the Office is currently performing at a very high level and meeting the needs of our citizens. With that being said, more funding would allow for additional deputies to improve calls for service response times in the Patrol division, more narcotics detectives to fight against illegal drug traffickers, better pay for our detention officers for hiring and retention.
The Detention Division already has informational handouts for services such as help with addiction, medical services and support groups at the time of their release. I will change this program to have round table discussions with the inmates prior to their release in order for them to have an opportunity to understand what services are available and ask questions.
Carteret County has been our home for 21 years. My wife, Ann, is a retired public school teacher and we have been married for 35 years. We raised our 3 children here. We were warmly welcomed by the Beaufort community and I began coaching sports that involved our children. From Upwards basketball to middle school basketball and high school golf. We also supported our daughters soccer teams, from the county recreation league to middle and high school, from the sidelines. I continued to meet people willing to give their time and wisdom to make our community a better place. Since deciding to seek the Office of Sheriff, I have been humbled by the support of the community. I am dedicated to ensuring our county remains a safe, strong and welcoming place for every resident and visitor. Together, we can continue to build a county where families feel safe, businesses can thrive and every resident from Down East to Emerald Isle knows they matter!
