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New webpage of the Orange County Sheriff's Office of North Carolina. CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION AND INCOMPLETE. Please use ocsonc.com for current details Orange County Sheriff's Office 106 E. Margaret Lane, Hillsborough, NC 27278 Phone: (919) 245-2900 | EMERGENCY DIAL 911 We Provide a Range of Services to Meet Our Community's Needs. We are dedicated to maintaining safety and security while building trust and establishing strong connections within our community. Some of our most visited services are listed below. Click the "SERVICES" tab in the above menu to see all of our offerings. Fingerprinting Discover More Detention Discover More Join Our Team! Discover More CCW Permits Discover More Daily Crime Report Discover More About Us Discover More Crisis & Victim Services Discover More Parent & Student Resources Discover More Our Divisions Discover More Eviction & Civil Services Discover More Deputy provides escort for Easter Bunny man in golf cart talks to man leaning on cart Sheriff points to its an office sign Deputy provides escort for Easter Bunny 1/10 Public Information Press Release Daily Crime Report The Lowdown VUKMER IN CUSTODY AT THE ORANGE COUNTY DETENTION CENTER April 10, 2026 Hillsborough, NC (April 10, 2026) – After waiving extradition proceedings in Grayson County, Virginia earlier in the week, Matthew Vukmer is now in the custody of the Orange County Detention Center. Investigators formally served Vukmer with the first-degree murder charge taken out against him on March 6, 2026. The magistrate ordered him held without bond, which is customary in such cases. Vukmer is expected to have his first appearance before a district court judge at the 2:00 PM session of court today. At that hearing, the judge will reiterate to the defendant the nature of the charge against him and remind him of his legal rights. The judge will also determine whether Vukmer plans to hire an attorney or if he qualifies for court-ordered counsel. Nothing current to report. You may follow this link to view older Press Releases Read More #83, Discretion is a Two-Way Street April Why do we give some people a warning and others a ticket for speeding? If marijuana is illegal in North Carolina, why aren’t we arresting and charging someone in possession of a small amount for personal use? How do deputies decide? Law enforcement officers have discretion in most situations. For example: I recently pulled over a driver after she passed me going 110 miles per hour. When I approached her car, I saw the passenger writhing in pain. While I knew the driver had broken the law, I now understood why. I escorted her to the hospital rather than sending her to traffic court. Our general policy is to seize and destroy small amounts of marijuana but not to charge the person with a crime. Although people legally use marijuana recreationally in many states, in North Carolina, possession of a small amount of the drug is a Class 3 misdemeanor and typically results in a fine with no jail time. Taking someone to the magistrate’s office for that offense is a significant drain on a deputy’s time. It is more important for us to remain on patrol, responding to true public safety emergencies. Other jurisdictions in North Carolina make different choices and will arrest for any amount of marijuana. Communities set their own priorities. We choose to focus on drug traffickers moving large quantities of illegal substances—not those who might smoke a joint now and then. There are also times when the law removes discretion. Under N.C.G.S. §50B-2, if a deputy has probable cause to believe someone has violated a protective order, he or she SHALL make a warrantless arrest. Shall is a powerful word. Where most laws give deputies authority, not a mandate to act, this one requires a specific action—even if the officer believes another course might be more appropriate. In these cases, the statute also limits the magistrate’s discretion to set the conditions of pretrial release. The alleged offender must be held in the detention center for a 48-hour cooling-off period. Deputies also have no discretion when it comes to the duty to intervene. The Criminal Justice Reform bill, passed in September 2021, addresses the “blue wall of silence.” If a law enforcement officer witnesses a colleague committing what the observing person believes to be an unlawful act, such as the use of excessive force, he or she MUST step in or speak up. Additionally, the law requires the observing officer to report the incident to a superior within 72 hours. Courts have made clear that an officer’s use of discretion must be judged based on the facts and circumstances as they appeared at the time—not what is later learned. Expecting an officer to distinguish a real gun from a toy weapon while standing 50 yards away is not reasonable. Expecting officers on scene to intervene when a fellow officer keeps a knee on a man’s neck for nine minutes is. Likewise, civilians should avoid inserting facts known to them or later discovered into their evaluation of a use-of-force incident. Regardless of whether the officer knew the person was a church deacon, a single father, or a cancer patient, such details have no bearing on whether the officer’s actions were appropriate. Citizens exercise discretion as well. My cell phone number hangs on the wall in the public lobby of the Sheriff’s Office. I put it there because I trust people to know the difference between calling me in the middle of the night for an urgent matter and waking me up seeking a restaurant recommendation. Civilians also exercise discretion when the decide to call law enforcement. Not every unfamiliar situation is a threat, and not every person who “looks out of place” is doing something wrong. Perception is shaped by experience—and sometimes by bias. Calls based on misinterpretation can divert deputies from true emergencies and create unnecessary encounters that escalate tensions rather than resolve them. People should report legitimate concerns promptly, but we all share a responsibility to pause, assess, and ensure that what we are seeing is truly a law enforcement matter before dialing 911. The law does not account for every human circumstance, so we ask deputies to consider situations with judgment, context, and humanity. We deal with people—not just violations on paper. When deputies exercise discretion wisely, and when people extend it thoughtfully in return, trust grows, deputies are more effective, and our communities become safer. Read More Friday, May 1, 2026 Crime Attempted B&E An attempted breaking and entering of a motorized vehicle was reported in the area of Walnut Grove Church Rd, Hurdle Mills. Victim reported being alerted to an unknown suspect attempting to force entry into their motorized vehicle. The suspect fled the scene when they realized they were being watched. investigation ongoing. Fraud Nothing to Report Scam Nothing to Report PUBLIC INFORMATION CENTER publicinfolive Who We Are About OCSO The Orange County Sheriff's Office is dedicated to upholding the law and serving the community with integrity and professionalism. Our team is comprised of highly trained deputies and staff who are committed to ensuring the safety and security of all residents. 1752 45k+ 150+ 100+ Dedicated Staff Charles S Blackwood Sheriff Year of Establishment Annual Calls Handled Community Partnerships

Public Information page providing important details for the Orange County community. Public Information News & Communications Stay Informed! Access the latest news and insights from your Sheriff's Office through our various communication channels. Press Releases Breaking news and important updates are posted on our homepage and archived here. While current releases appear on the main page for 3-5 business days, you can find all past releases in our archive. Read more by clicking the Press Releases button below. The Lowdown with Sheriff Blackwood Each month, Sheriff Blackwood shares his insights and perspectives in "The Lowdown," a column published in the News of Orange. These articles go beyond the headlines to explore: Behind-the-scenes operations of your Sheriff's Office Local impact of national issues Community initiatives and programs Law enforcement insights and education Read the latest edition or explore past columns in the archive by clicking The Lowdown button below. The Sheriff's Office Public Information Officer (P.I.O.) is A. Stemper. Contact: (919) 245-2963 or astemper@orangecountync.gov . Live Stream PRESS RELEASES READ MORE THE LOWDOWN READ MORE PHOTOS & VIDEOS READ MORE CITIZENS ACADEMY READ MORE EMERGENCY WEATHER READ MORE Firearm Ordinance Noise Ordinance Other County Ordinances Public Sale/Auction Auction and Ordinances An update on reported crimes, fraud, and scams is linked on our main page every standard business day. You may also find a long-term archive of current and past events below. Daily Crime, Fraud, and Scam Reports Daily Crime Report Crime Locations on MAP NIMBUS As a reminder, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office DOES NOT call citizens and solicit money to avoid being arrested. We are being notified of fraudulent calls where individuals are claiming to be deputies from the Sheriff’s Office, requesting money to avoid arrest or civil penalties. Additionally, the Sheriff’s Office is seeing a reoccurrence of scams where the scammer is sending individuals checks with a victim's cash, telling you to keep a part of it, and send the scammer the remaining funds. Please be cautions on social media platforms with individuals sending checks and asking for money to be sent back to them. May 1, 2026 Crime Attempted B&E An attempted breaking and entering of a motorized vehicle was reported in the area of Walnut Grove Church Rd, Hurdle Mills. Victim reported being alerted to an unknown suspect attempting to force entry into their motorized vehicle. The suspect fled the scene when they realized they were being watched. investigation ongoing. Fraud Nothing to Report Scam Nothing to Report April 30, 2026 Crime Attempted B&E An attempted breaking and entering of a motorized vehicle was reported in the area of Birdsong Ln, Hurdle Mills. Victim reports getting an alert that someone was attempting to break into their vehicle. The victim was able to observe the two unidentified suspects attempt to force entry, then flee the scene when they became aware they were being observed. Investigation ongoing. Fraud Nothing to Report Scam Nothing to Report April 28, 2026 Crime Theft A theft of construction tools was reported in the area of Saddle Club Rd, Mebane. Victim reported that tools worth a noteable sum were stolen from the property. Investigation is ongoing. Theft from Motor Vehicle A thet of personal property from a motorized vehicle was reported in the area of Eubanks Rd, Chapel Hill. Victim reported items being stolen from their vehicle while on location. Investigation ongoing. Fraud Nothing to Report Scam Nothing to Report Load More

Learn more about Detainee Demographics at the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Detainee Demographic Information T he Orange County Sheriff's Office maintains the information and data contained on this page . If you have questions or comments, please contact the Sheriff's Office at (919) 245-2900 or websheriff@orangecountync.gov . LOADING... Please be patient Download PDF

Orange County Sheriff's Office booking photos. CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION New Booking Photos T he Orange County Sheriff's Office maintains the information and data contained on this page . If you have questions or comments, please contact the Sheriff's Office at (919) 245-2900 or websheriff@orangecountync.gov . LOADING... Please Be Patient.

Learn more about the Current Detainees in the Orange County Detention Center. Current Detainees The Orange County Sheriff's Office maintains the information and data contained on this page. If you have questions or comments, please contact the Sheriff's Office at (919) 245-2900 or websheriff@orangecountync.gov . LOADING... Please Wait Download PDF

A twelve-month running archive of the Orange County Sheriff's Office monthly newsletter, The Lowdown. The Lowdown Archive April 29, 2026 #83, Discretion is a Two-Way Street Why do we give some people a warning and others a ticket for speeding? If marijuana is illegal in North Carolina, why aren’t we arresting and charging someone in possession of a small amount for personal use? How do deputies decide? Law enforcement officers have discretion in most situations. For example: I recently pulled over a driver after she passed me going 110 miles per hour. When I approached her car, I saw the passenger writhing in pain. While I knew the driver had broken the law, I now understood why. I escorted her to the hospital rather than sending her to traffic court. Our general policy is to seize and destroy small amounts of marijuana but not to charge the person with a crime. Although people legally use marijuana recreationally in many states, in North Carolina, possession of a small amount of the drug is a Class 3 misdemeanor and typically results in a fine with no jail time. Taking someone to the magistrate’s office for that offense is a significant drain on a deputy’s time. It is more important for us to remain on patrol, responding to true public safety emergencies. Other jurisdictions in North Carolina make different choices and will arrest for any amount of marijuana. Communities set their own priorities. We choose to focus on drug traffickers moving large quantities of illegal substances—not those who might smoke a joint now and then. There are also times when the law removes discretion. Under N.C.G.S. §50B-2, if a deputy has probable cause to believe someone has violated a protective order, he or she SHALL make a warrantless arrest. Shall is a powerful word. Where most laws give deputies authority, not a mandate to act, this one requires a specific action—even if the officer believes another course might be more appropriate. In these cases, the statute also limits the magistrate’s discretion to set the conditions of pretrial release. The alleged offender must be held in the detention center for a 48-hour cooling-off period. Deputies also have no discretion when it comes to the duty to intervene. The Criminal Justice Reform bill, passed in September 2021, addresses the “blue wall of silence.” If a law enforcement officer witnesses a colleague committing what the observing person believes to be an unlawful act, such as the use of excessive force, he or she MUST step in or speak up. Additionally, the law requires the observing officer to report the incident to a superior within 72 hours. Courts have made clear that an officer’s use of discretion must be judged based on the facts and circumstances as they appeared at the time—not what is later learned. Expecting an officer to distinguish a real gun from a toy weapon while standing 50 yards away is not reasonable. Expecting officers on scene to intervene when a fellow officer keeps a knee on a man’s neck for nine minutes is. Likewise, civilians should avoid inserting facts known to them or later discovered into their evaluation of a use-of-force incident. Regardless of whether the officer knew the person was a church deacon, a single father, or a cancer patient, such details have no bearing on whether the officer’s actions were appropriate. Citizens exercise discretion as well. My cell phone number hangs on the wall in the public lobby of the Sheriff’s Office. I put it there because I trust people to know the difference between calling me in the middle of the night for an urgent matter and waking me up seeking a restaurant recommendation. Civilians also exercise discretion when the decide to call law enforcement. Not every unfamiliar situation is a threat, and not every person who “looks out of place” is doing something wrong. Perception is shaped by experience—and sometimes by bias. Calls based on misinterpretation can divert deputies from true emergencies and create unnecessary encounters that escalate tensions rather than resolve them. People should report legitimate concerns promptly, but we all share a responsibility to pause, assess, and ensure that what we are seeing is truly a law enforcement matter before dialing 911. The law does not account for every human circumstance, so we ask deputies to consider situations with judgment, context, and humanity. We deal with people—not just violations on paper. When deputies exercise discretion wisely, and when people extend it thoughtfully in return, trust grows, deputies are more effective, and our communities become safer. Read More March 25, 2026 #82, Feed Them “Love people. Cook them tasty food.” Those are six powerful words. It is purely coincidental—but nonetheless appropriate—that we christened our office cooking group Grill Team 6. A team of deputies comprises this cadre of chefs, and a rotating cast of characters provides frequent assistance and hilarious banter. Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Organization (SOCO) is the nonprofit 501(c)(3) that contributes financial support to and hands-on help with office initiatives, fundraising efforts, and food-prep projects. SOCO and Grill Team 6 will again showcase their partnership on April 29 at our annual and highly anticipated Chicken Pickin’ fundraiser. That day, they fire up a dozen giant grills at 5:00 a.m. and prepare barbecued chicken plates with green beans, potatoes, and a roll. Members of the Timeless Cruizers Car Club donate the chicken and assist with grilling duties. SOCO helps with the behind-the-scenes prep necessary for such an ambitious undertaking. They also source supplies, help plate and package approximately 1,000 meals, and sell tickets. Drop by the office at 106 E. Margaret Lane in Hillsborough to purchase yours! In 2023, SOCO used Chicken Pickin’ proceeds to help purchase 67 Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) for law enforcement and the South Orange Rescue Squad—its largest single donation to date. In the last two years, among many other contributions, SOCO has funded meals for disaster volunteers after Chantal, purchased CPR mannequins and child safety seats, replaced AED batteries and pads, ordered a new US flag for the office, and supported our annual Shop with the Sheriff event. SOCO also helps us with our roasted corn-on-the-cob sale at Hog Day, an annual community event in September. Grill Team 6 knows just the right ratio of soaking to roasting time, and SOCO offers every customer a dazzling array of seasonings for a customized flavor experience. Every year, SOCO uses some of the corn sale revenue to award the Sheriff Lindy Pendergrass Memorial Scholarship to a high school senior planning to study criminal justice in college. My team and I are committed to helping people age in place with dignity and support. We regularly prepare a hot dog lunch for up to 75 residents experiencing food insecurity or who are homebound. Grill Team 6 and Detention Center dietary staff cook the franks and fixings. SOCO packages the meals before we load them into Meals on Wheels vehicles for delivery. We also believe in supporting those who visit or travel through Orange County. Therefore, we occasionally prepare food for families staying at the Ronald McDonald House in Chapel Hill while UNC Hospitals care for their children. It is incredibly stressful to be away from home, worried about your child, surrounded by strangers, and far from your usual sources of comfort and support. Coping with all of that—and figuring out how to feed yourself every day—is nearly impossible. Once again, we rely on SOCO to help us prepare, package, and serve the meals. SOCO volunteers make snow cones and serve popcorn at community events. They bring us lunch on Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. They show up to support and feed school bus drivers at our annual appreciation breakfast. But believe it or not, they are not only about food! Last year, by my conservative estimate, they provided more than 1,500 hours of service, saving tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars. Many help with Shop with the Sheriff. Some come to the office to shred and file important documents. Others helps fingerprint those who need background checks for work. If we need a photographer at a community event and my communications manager is busy, we call Rob. When it’s time to put classroom materials together for Citizens’ Academy, Ken is the wizard. Want to get involved? Buy tickets for the Chicken Pickin’—on sale now through April 20, 2026. Order ten or more plates and we will deliver. Consider attending our Citizens’ Academy, where you can have a good time, learn about the inner workings of our office, and qualify to become a SOCO member upon graduation. Plus, thanks to SOCO, we usually provide dinner! Clearly, we take Virginia Woolf to heart. She said, “One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well, if one has not dined well.” Take it from me—you also can’t Sheriff well! When we feed people, we are connecting with the community we serve, and SOCO volunteers help us do it. Bon appétit! Read More February 25, 2026 #81, Parakaleo An education is a wonderful thing to have, but social media is probably not the best place to find one. That said, you can learn a lot if you know where to look. I enjoy listening to author and motivational speaker Ryan Leak, because he regularly delivers nuggets of wisdom. I recently watched one of his videos in which he spoke about “parakaleo.” Now that I know this concept, I see it in action everywhere. Parakaleo comes from the Greek words para , meaning “alongside,” and kaleo , which means “to call.” Simply put, parakaleo is the practice of coming alongside of someone and encouraging them forward. With such a mindset, a person does not let others shrink back; rather, he or she supports them as they move forward in a positive direction. Dean Smith, the legendary, late UNC basketball coach, intuitively understood parakaleo. He taught his players that after scoring, they should point to the player who passed them the ball, publicly sharing the credit for the basket by acknowledging the assist. I saw my friend Bob Epting the other day, and he looked a little down. I was on my way to an appointment, and I didn’t have much time, but I stopped and asked him if he was okay. He said he just finished a slightly stressful, time-sensitive task and that he was otherwise fine. I told him how much he matters to me and reminded him to take care of himself. We had a nice exchange, and as we were talking, a young man walked up and asked for help with a dead car battery. I started to arrange for a deputy to bring him a jump box, but Bob interrupted and said, “You go on, Charles. I know you are headed somewhere. I’ve got this.” I spent a few minutes giving encouragement and care to Bob, and before we even parted company, he was paying it forward by investing helpful energy into someone else. Parakaleo in action is contagious, much like laughter and enthusiasm. With the right mindset, anyone can pull alongside someone and push them forward. Sadly, the reverse is also true. Remember the old saying, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me”? I think we all know words can indeed hurt, and I believe destructive criticism is the opposite of parakaleo. I once attended an event to which I wore my favorite sport coat, a handsome tie, my favorite boots, and a nice pair of crisp blue pants. My wife picked out my jacket, and I love it. As soon as we arrived at the event, three or four people came up to me and complimented my beautiful coat before one person walked by and criticized my wardrobe choices. That one dig really stung, hitting me with more power than the multiple compliments, not because I am thin-skinned, but because of something scientists call negativity bias. With survival as the goal, evolution wired our brains to pay more attention to threats than to compliments, which is why the way we talk to people matters. We have the power to balance the scales by making sure people hear kindness more often than criticism. I recently gave the keynote at WHCL’s Hometown Hero luncheon during which the station celebrated those honored throughout the year in a popular weekly promotion. Almost no one in that room thought they did anything heroic – most of them said, “I was just doing my job.” However, we are a community full of people who notice the good deeds of others, pull alongside them, and push them forward by nominating them for public recognition because we know that what they do matters. Elite paracletes know that support can also be a passive practice. In other words, serving others doesn’t have to be hard or make you break into a sweat! Sometimes just listening to someone who seems down, harried, or frustrated is all it takes to allow them to move forward again. Put away your phone, make eye contact, avoid interrupting, and give the gift of your undivided attention. Usually, people don’t need us to offer solutions for their problems. They just need our support as they work through them. Every Tuesday morning, as we conclude staff meeting, I say, “Go forth and do good things.” Maybe I’ll start saying, “Go forth, do good things, and encourage someone to move forward with you.” Read More January 28, 2026 #80, Most Important Issue First responders must react to what occurs, which can often feel like a game of “Whack-a-Mole,” where a player uses a padded mallet to bop motorized pests on the head when they pop up. If you’ve ever played, you know additional moles continue to spring out ─ often players face several at the same time. People frequently ask me to identify the most important issues in law enforcement today. In many ways, that’s like asking me to name the biggest moles rather than focus on preparing deputies and detention officers to successfully serve the community regardless of what problems surface. Using my “Whack-a-Mole” analogy, I certainly understand that we need to react and respond to the critters that surface most frequently. But as a leader, I know that difficulties of the moment are not necessarily the most important. Building and maintaining a team that anticipates and adapts to change is the most important issue in law enforcement today. It is also my most important duty. It is critical that I recruit, train, equip, support, and retain people who can protect and serve no matter what pops up. Despite its status as a profession rich in history and tradition, a law enforcement officer does not operate in a static world. Even people who entered the field less than a decade ago find themselves working in a very different environment today. This reality certainly keeps me engaged, even after 45 years. No two days are the same, much less the years. At our office, we have what we call “The Standard.” It is not a policy document, but rather a mindset. Although “standard” can mean garden-variety or average, we mean something quite different. Our standard is not mediocrity, but rather excellence, and we aspire to it every day. We anticipate change and, as creative-thinking, resilient problem-solvers, we adapt to emerging societal issues, law changes, and technology improvements. In this way, we uphold our standard and build our culture regardless of the challenges we face. I want to share three examples, starting with the growing mental health crisis. I am not just aware of the conversations occurring at the local, state, and federal levels; I participate in them, working with stakeholders, our Criminal Justice Resource Department, and my colleagues on the Governor’s Crime Commission. But deputies and detention officers experience the ramifications of this crisis daily and must adapt and increase their skills now. They do not have the luxury of such discussions, nor can they wait for mental health system reform, the completion of a new crisis facility, or the funding of a grant proposal. It is imperative that I provide them training and tools such as verbal judo classes, crisis intervention skills, mental health first aid, and similar courses. We see people’s daily struggles, witness the impact on loved ones, and respond to suicides and overdoses. Accordingly, I also continually monitor employee wellness and provide appropriate resources. COVID-19 certainly brought with it many societal changes. The pandemic taught a master class in the importance of leveraging technology and modernizing long-standing policy. For example, even though video and audio equipment made virtual court appearances possible years before 2020, it took the crisis to accelerate the legal and cultural changes necessary to regularize this efficient practice. Therefore, throughout our agency, we examined where else this lesson might apply. Now, we now primarily use video visitation at the detention center. Loved ones find it more convenient and detention officers have more time to attend to other critical duties. By embracing and adapting, we improved. My final example shows that I do not only expect staff members to adapt to change ─ I also challenge myself to stay flexible. Although I still personally find it difficult to sport facial hair while wearing my dress uniform, I changed our policy when I saw clear evidence that deputies and detention officers with well-groomed beards, moustaches, or sideburns could be both professional and approachable. Likewise, I saw the merit in allowing visible tattoos. As society’s views toward body ink shifted, I recognized that by forbidding tattoos, we were causing exceptional applicants to apply elsewhere. A tattoo has no bearing on a person’s ability to perform his or her duties at the highest level; therefore, I changed my stance. Referring again to “The Standard,” we must continually adapt, change, and grow. Remaining nimble is our superpower, because maintaining the ability to provide for public safety, regardless of issue, problem, or emergency, will always be the most important issue in law enforcement. Read More December 31, 2025 #79, Third Term in Review As the final days of 2025 tick away, it has now been 45 years since I began my law enforcement career. On December 16, 1980, when I first put on the uniform as a deputy, I never imagined such longevity. As my third term as Sheriff continues, my father’s advice, “Love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life” deeply resonates with me. I periodically reflect on my first days as Sheriff back in December 2014. I expected establishing a new culture to be challenging, but it turned out to be relatively easy. I centered everything on the premise that employees are a Sheriff’s greatest asset. I trusted that if they felt important, valued, supported, and appreciated, they would perform well and earn community respect. We took a fresh look at our policies, adjusted those that were well-intentioned but poorly planned, and engaged in a continual process of evaluation and improvement. With state-of-the-art training and equipment, employees are safer. They think creatively, work efficiently, and interact confidently with the public and those in our custody at the detention center. I hear almost daily how well they represent the mission and values of this office. About a year ago in this column, I wrote about the importance of partnerships. Every time we collectively solve complicated problems, we learn something from the other professionals involved, and we improve our working relationships. Almost every crisis we face is easier because of the ones that came before it; there is simply no substitute for experience. Coalitions formed during rapidly evolving, tense, and dangerous situations tend to be particularly strong, and we rely on this trust when public safety is at stake. Because relationships are of immeasurable value to a Sheriff, I continuallydevote energy to building new ones. Trust must be built before the blue lights flash; therefore, we work to build connection with those we serve at community centers, in the courts, through the schools, at parades and public events, and with those who walk in the front door seeking assistance with administrative needs, civil process, or personal crisis. It’s no secret that providing 24/7/365 patrol and detention services for a county of more than 150,000 people spread across 401 square miles and bisected by two major interstates is an expensive undertaking. A Sheriff must be a fiscally responsible steward of public funds, and I value our excellent working relationship with the Orange County Board of Commissioners and Kirk Vaughn, our county budget director. We technically operate under two budgets – one for the detention center and one for all other operations. Chief Deputy Tina Sykes carefully balances our needs versus our wants as she manages both. She evaluates every expense using a simple test: if the item, initiative, training, or program directly relates to the safety of our employees or the public we serve, it is a need. Other requests may fall more into the category of a want. For example, newer, smaller, more powerful flashlights might be nice to have, but we only purchase them after meeting higher priorities. Many sheriffs across the nation have struggled with hiring and retaining employees. Some now provide hiring bonuses, a practice I prefer to avoid. I believe in hiring right, not rushing to hire right now. Retention bonuses, however, have merit; rewarding longevity helps a Sheriff keep talent and build institutional knowledge. We are fortunate to have a staff member dedicated to identifying and hiring quality candidates and ensuring their continual training. Moreover, you can’t buy advertisements as powerful as the personal testimony of employees who are proud of the work they do and the colleagues with whom they do it! We continually find that current team members are among our best recruiters. I chair the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission whose website links to the NC Statistical Analysis Center and the NC Justice Data Portal. Using 2024 statistics— the most recent available—I am pleased to report that Orange County has a crime rate 14.1% lower than the statewide average. This figure represents 790 fewer crimes per 100,000 people and a meaningfully lower individual risk per resident. I am also pleased that our Criminal Investigations Division has solved 100% of homicides occurring during my tenure as Sheriff. I am very fortunate to do work I love alongside truly talented people. Together, our accomplishments have exceeded my expectations, and I head into 2026 grateful for the opportunity to continue serving. I wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season. Read More November 19, 2025 #78, Anatomy of a Death Investigation On May 17, 2025, a person walking a dog in a wooded area off Hawk Ridge Road found human remains. Six months later, little is yet known about the decedent. However, that does not mean little has been done. I am writing to provide an update about the case and peek behind the curtain into the complexity and challenge presented by this type of case. When investigators and deputies arrived at the scene that Saturday afternoon, they found the scattered bones of a mostly skeletonized person. As is standard practice, we asked the on-call medical examiner (ME) to respond. We then conducted a joint investigation, both seeking to learn the decedent’s identity and what happened. In such cases, we look for evidence to determine what, if any, crimes occurred, and who committed them, while the medical examiner focuses on when the person died, by what cause, and in what manner. Although cause and manner may sound the same, they are not. Cause refers to the specific medical reason for the death, while manner goes to whether the death occurred by homicide, suicide, accident, natural causes, or if the reason is undetermined. For example, if the ME found a “penetrating cerebral wound from gunshot injury to the head” as the cause of death, the manner could be homicide, suicide, or accidental. Nothing at the scene provided clues to suggest the cause of the decedent’s death. Further, it remains unclear if the person died in those woods or if someone transported the body there after death. After investigators photographed and measured the scene, collected evidence, and the ME examined the remains, officials transported the body to the North Carolina Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) in Raleigh. The OCME also found no obvious cause of death, not surprising given the pronounced decomposition of the body. Staff there estimated the person died sometime in the latter part of 2024. After studying the bones, a medical examiner specialist opined to our investigators that the decedent was likely a female adult, probably between 18 and 35 years old, with braces on only her bottom teeth. Although we hoped this specific detail might help identify the person, investigators searched the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) without success. This repository contains information about missing, unidentified, and unclaimed person cases. Specifically, it includes 650 missing persons and 158 unidentified bodies from North Carolina. When the OCME is unable to identify a person, the case passes to a forensic anthropologist for a more detailed examination of the bones. Such work can reveal important biological details, such as age, sex, stature, and perhaps ancestry. Skeletal abnormalities sometimes point to cause of death or reveal details about the decedent’s medical history or prior trauma. It may be several more months before the forensic pathologist issues a report. We are hopeful it will provide new direction for the ongoing investigation. Meanwhile, genealogists will attempt to identify the person using an analysis of DNA from the body. An original DNA lab report includes tremendously long strings of letters representing clusters of genes. A genealogist’s work can take several years as he or she slowly narrows the pool of possibility, using databases to compare these strings with millions of other profiles. Eventually, the genealogist might find a DNA match to a probable distant relative. The genealogist will then continue inching forward, seeking a first-degree relative such as a parent, child, or sibling. Our experience teaches us the importance of remaining patient despite the painstaking and delicate nature of these investigations. Two years ago, a genealogist matched the DNA profile from an unidentified murder victim found more than 30 years ago in Orange County to some paternal cousins. Through a series of interviews, we eventually located a maternal aunt who reported that the family lost contact with her niece more than three decades prior. A subsequent analysis of the woman’s DNA confirmed the relationship and solved the mystery of the victim’s identity. Patience also proved critical for the Wake County Sheriff’s Office. Earlier this month, they announced the identity of a woman killed in 1968 – probably setting the North Carolina record as the oldest cold case solved with the assistance forensic genealogy. Sheriff Willie Rowe said, “Law enforcement never gives up…and we embrace technology and partnerships to solve crimes.” Returning to the Hawk Ridge Road case, investigators have no reason to think there is any danger to residents in the area. Quite possibly, someone may have dumped the body in the woods after the death occurred elsewhere. But undoubtedly, neighbors remain disconcerted by the tragedy, and somewhere, a family longs for information about their loved one. If you have any information, please call Sergeant K. Goodwin, the lead investigator, at (919) 245-2918. ### Read More October 29, 2025 #77, Specialized IPC Training Yields Results It is difficult to find something you aren’t looking for. If we go to a domestic violence call, it would be irresponsible to assume everything is okay just because both parties deny needing assistance. We therefore rely on our training to look for context clues that will provide more insight about the situation. Are items in disarray? Does someone have a bruised neck or scratched upper arms? If we separate the people involved, do they tell the same story? It is precisely knowing what to look for that often helps get a victim out of danger. Similarly, we know that swerving or failure to maintain a lane may suggest a person is driving while impaired. Therefore, we look for other clues. Are there empty beer cans in the vehicle? Are the driver’s eyes red or glassy? Does he or she seem clumsy while getting the registration out of the glove box? Almost half a million children are missing in the United States, but shockingly, very few law enforcement officers are trained to look for them actively. Therefore, we recently started sending deputies to a relatively new program called Interdiction for the Protection of Children (IPC). IPC is an evidence-based curriculum created by the Texas Department of Public Safety. Interdiction refers to intercepting movement, most often discussed in terms of disrupting drug trafficking on our highways. For example, officers on a drug interdiction team might know where the natural cavities in a vehicle are. They are also trained to look for signs of tampering or modification that might indicate large amounts of narcotics are concealed within. The goal of IPC is to broaden the perspective of law enforcement officers, teaching them how to identify missing children. Those with IPC training know that not every child in a vehicle is with a parent or other appropriate person. Believing that a child in the back seat will say, “Hi, I am Jane Doe, and this man kidnapped me three months ago” is not a reasonable expectation. Encountering a child is not the same as looking for a missing one. The IPC program, important everywhere, is especially critical in North Carolina, which is consistently ranked in the country’s top 10 states for human trafficking. We have several major interstate highways, a significant military presence, large agricultural areas, a booming tourism industry, and we are approximately halfway between Florida and New York, all of which are factors conducive to exploiting people for profit. The North Carolina Department of Public Safety provides the multi-disciplinary IPC training through the North Carolina Justice Academy. The program has four primary pillars: train officers to identify individuals who pose a high risk to children; equip officers to recognize children who are being exploited, abused, or trafficked; teach officers about the resources available to help them determine the status of a child who may be missing or at risk; and prevent future crimes, partly through the effective prosecution of people who exploit children in any manner. A deep dive into these pillars is beyond the scope of this article, but in brief, the first two pillars help law enforcement officers understand the coin has two sides. One is to identify what makes adult behavior suspicious; the other is to recognize how the actions of children and adolescents might provide clues to their status as victims. Those trained in IPC also understand why the presence of some objects and the absence of others might be cause for suspicion. The third pillar is critical. Officers need to know how to access resources immediately to facilitate rescue with minimal additional trauma. If they are unable to do that, officers log suspicious activity into a database that tracks patterns and searches for connections. The final pillar recognizes the complexity of these crimes and the important work of the North Carolina Conference of District Attorneys. The Conference prepares prosecutors to secure convictions in these complex, multijurisdictional criminal cases. Within weeks of attending the training, one of our deputies, while assisting another agency on a call involving a runaway, recognized something was “off.” He viewed the juvenile as more than a rebellious teen and noticed signs that she might now be caught in a dangerous web. Despite the hour, he arranged for expert resources. The resulting forensic interview revealed the teen had been commercially sex trafficked since she went missing. Moreover, the interview led to the rescue of a second victim and criminal charges against three co-conspirators. IPC is a mindset. Missing kids are out there. I want all my deputies trained to find them. Read More September 24, 2025 #76, Train Tracks are Dangerous Places In the United States, a train strikes a person or a vehicle every three hours. That’s approximately eight collisions a day – an astonishing figure. The bad news continues: North Carolina has the thirteenth highest number of rail trespass deaths in the country. September is Train Track Safety Month. You may have seen social media posts from Operation Lifesaver warning people to respect train tracks. Their annual campaign, “See Tracks? Think Train” raises awareness about rail safety. Train tracks are critical national infrastructure, and they are very dangerous places. It would be absurd to walk in the middle of a highway or airport runway, but people don’t seem to have the same healthy respect for the risks of railroads. Obviously, trains cannot swerve, and it can take them more than a mile to stop. By the time an engineer sees a vehicle or a person on the tracks, he or she can only apply the brakes, blow the horn, and watch in terror while waiting for the inevitable – a helpless, terrible feeling. Walking alongside the tracks is only marginally safer, as the rough, rocky ground can cause unexpected falls or twisted ankles. I hate to imagine stumbling onto the track and being unable to stand back up while a train thunders at me. Moreover, people who walk along rail lines often fail to realize that trains are wider than tracks; they typically have a significant overhang on each side. It may come as a surprise that railroad tracks and the surrounding right of way are not public thoroughfares. Tracks – even abandoned ones – are private property, and if a person is on them without permission, he or she is trespassing. People trespass for a variety of reasons. Some are simply using the tracks as the shortest distance between two points, and they do not understand the dangers. Other people, often social media users, select tracks as a background for photography. Cell phone cameras have been around for about two decades now. It is probably not coincidental that rail trespass deaths over that period increased 44% (from 498 fatalities in 2002 to 718 in 2023). Too many people seek the rugged aesthetic of wood, metal, and sky, but rail lines have nothing to do with graduations, engagements, album cover art, or holiday greeting cards. It seems that one would hear a train coming, but typically, the sound only arrives seconds before the machine itself. Modern trains glide on tracks with very little friction. The crushed rock under the tracks further dampens the noise. The sound waves radiate outward and behind the train more than they project forward. Especially in an environment with significant levels of ambient noise, such as nearby vehicle traffic or wind blowing through trees, a person in front of the train may not hear it until it is only seconds from impact. People almost never survive a direct hit, and if they do, they generally suffer catastrophic, life-changing injuries. The chance of survival is only slightly better when the train strikes someone from the side. If the train throws a person clear – rather than under the train, off a bridge, or into a solid object – he or she might live, but the odds are still terrible. It is surprisingly difficult to judge the speed of a moving train. One reason is that larger objects appear to be moving more slowly than smaller ones traveling at the same speed. Airplanes fly fast, yet when I watch one descend over the interstate into RDU airport, it appears to crawl through the sky. A second optical illusion compounds the difficulty of judging train speed. When humans view parallel lines stretching into the distance, our eyes perceive them as getting closer to each other until they meet at the horizon, even though our brains know tracks remain the same distance apart. This phenomenon causes the train to appear both farther away and slower than it is, a dangerous combination. Drivers should never attempt to race through a marked crossing before the arms come down. I’ve seen people get trapped between the barriers with disastrous consequences. Likewise, motorists should stop, look both ways, and proceed with extreme caution at junctures without physical barriers and flashing lights. Trains are not required to sound their horns at all crossings; therefore, silence does not mean safety. Except for passengers, employees, and those with explicit permission from the railroad, no one belongs on train tracks. Trains are fast, surprisingly quiet, and unable to stop quickly. A shortcut or a photograph is not worth the risk. Read More August 27, 2025 #75, Detention Center Staff provide critical, difficult service As Sheriff, I operate and manage the county’s detention facility, also called the jail. Although my staff and I strive to make the facility the safest place in the county, that is a tall order. Every day, we must keep approximately 105 involuntary residents safe, fed, and healthy. We facilitate access to legal counsel, support contact with family members, prepare and serve three meals a day, and provide transportation to court appearances and medical appointments throughout the state. It is not easy work, and lately, it feels as though the job has become more challenging. The hard truth is that a jail population generally consists of people who were not dealt many advantages in life and/or made very unwise choices. Many are in poor physical health, some struggle with addiction, and a significant percentage wrestle with mental illness. Law enforcement officers have known for decades that people with unmet mental health needs often surface in either the emergency department or the criminal justice system. Sadly, society has made little progress devising appropriate alternatives. I should add that Covid made matters worse. Not only did that year of social isolation exacerbate existing mental health problems, but as we adapted to social distancing, we formed some new habits that continue to keep us apart. Increased isolation can be hard on anyone, and mentally fragile people tend to fare worse. I think about the Great Depression and how the stresses of that time echoed for decades, and I believe history will repeat in the post-Covid world. Mental health resources are scarce, especially for people without insurance. Those in our care who desperately need treatment sometimes languish in our facility, often experiencing severe declines in their level of functioning. Jail, after all, is a place of isolation, and that experience—already difficult for most people—can be dangerous for those with mental illness. Some of our detainees suffer so severely and decline so precipitously that they engage in deeply disturbing behaviors, some of which involve their own excrement. Possible reasons for this behavior include gaining a sense of control, expressing anger and frustration, or avoiding interactions with others, but that is not why I mention this unsettling practice. I bring it up because we have so many people suffering with mental illness in the facility that what once was rare is now a near-daily occurrence, and it poses a huge challenge for the staff. Can you imagine if, on top of your already difficult duties, you had to regularly clean up urine and feces? What would that do to YOUR mental health? I’ll tell you what it’s doing to my staff. They are burning out. They are tired. They are finding other jobs, even if it means accepting a pay cut. In recent years, when a shortage of detention officers plagued many agencies, our numbers held steady, but suddenly, our staffing levels are dipping below my comfort level. That said, although it worries me, I choose to focus on the positive. As we know, a pendulum doesn’t swing only one way. One of our detention officers recently retired and we posted congratulations to her on our Facebook page. Former residents of the jail posted comments, one praising her grace and compassion. Another noted her kind, nonjudgmental approach. The honoree responded that despite the difficulties of the job, she found her career rewarding. She mentioned bonds formed with co-workers and the enduring friendships she built. You can’t buy a better recruitment tool! I expect significant relief when the Orange County Crisis Diversion Facility (CDF) becomes a reality. By design, it will work in an integrated manner with our population to provide specialized behavioral health treatment to those whose mental health struggles disrupt daily operations of our facility. Incarceration is not a humane response to mental illness; the CDF will provide appropriate treatment in a secure facility at lower cost than a traditional hospitalization. The CDF will have 16 beds in its crisis unit and 12 spots for those who need a slightly less restrictive program of care. Construction will start soon, and this long-anticipated, much-needed resource will help those whose misdeeds stem from mental-health issues, not criminal intent. It will also help improve working conditions for detention officers, whose critical service to this county cannot be overstated. In essence, I wrote this entire column to express appreciation for the detention center staff. Their work is typically unseen and unsung, but I thought readers would appreciate learning about their dedication despite the present difficulties. When the Crisis Diversion Facility opens, it will ease the burden. In the meantime, I hope you will join me in giving detention officers the respect and support they deserve. ### Read More July 30, 2025 #74, Storm Recovery Tropical Storm Chantal made landfall in South Carolina at 4:00 a.m. on Sunday, July 6, 2025, weakening into a tropical depression before noon. As late as 5:55 p.m., the National Weather Service maintained Orange County would likely get no more than two inches of rain with a reasonable “worst-case scenario” of less than four inches. As we now know, Chantal stalled, doubled down, and dumped an unprecedented 10 inches of rain in Orange County. One person died when floodwaters trapped her vehicle as she traveled to work. First responders found her body about 18 hours later, changing the lives of her family and friends forever. Other numbers also illustrate the devastation: almost 8,000 calls to 911 telecommunicators, 421 residential properties impacted (of these, the storm destroyed four and delivered major damage to 215 others), 190 residents displaced, 75 crashes/accidents, 14 people injured, and nine road closures. Financially, Orange County suffered more than $20.5 million in residential damage, almost $21 million in commercial destruction, and $28.2 million in harm to facilities such as public works yards and vehicles, water/wastewater treatment plants, and park buildings and equipment. I want to acknowledge the stress and frustration involved in recovering from such a crisis. Times are undoubtedly tough in the aftermath of a natural disaster, and the road can be long. Western North Carolina, still digging out 10 months after Helene, knows the hardship all too well. Fortunately, there is a process in place to assist with recovery. It involves coordinating many levels of government and takes time. The desire to return to normal quickly is understandable, but people who skip prescribed steps risk disqualifying themselves from sources of funding for which they might otherwise be eligible. A full discussion of the process is beyond the scope of this column, but I want to summarize some highlights. It begins when local Emergency Management officials recommend and the chair of the Board of Commissioners declares a State of Emergency, both of which happened on July 7. County and municipal personnel then begin to assess the disaster’s local impact. Residents with damage or excessive debris may register with the county’s “Crisis Track” tool on the readyorange.org website. [This action is one avenue to document damage, but it is not the only way to preserve eligibility for financial relief should it be granted. People should also take photographs and save all receipts.] Additionally, representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the Small Business Administration make site visits; both entities have assistance programs with complex eligibility criteria. After Orange County officials compile damage estimates, they submit a preliminary assessment to North Carolina Emergency Management. With damage exceeding $600,000, we potentially qualify for state assistance. Meanwhile, our losses are also combined with those of other affected counties. The collective total is used to determine if the state is eligible for other state and federal assistance. My summary above is a simplified explanation of a complicated financial process. Meanwhile, volunteers begin efforts to help affected people with clean-up and emergency repairs. The Crisis Track reporting tool I mentioned earlier identifies the people who need assistance, their location, and the scope of their trouble. This information is then funneled to volunteer agencies with rosters of trained people ready to help with the physical demands of recovery, and to others capable of managing, tracking, and dispersing financial donations. Most readers are at least somewhat familiar with the services of the American Red Cross. They responded immediately to help with Chantal recovery. Likewise, the North Carolina chapter of Volunteers Active in Disaster (VOAD) convened a diverse group of organizations to alleviate the storm’s impact by delivering services in an effective, efficient manner. According to their vision statement, VOAD wants to “… be the recognized non-governmental leader of the disaster preparedness, response, and recovery sector.” Some of the organizations currently working in Orange County include Baptists on Mission, Team Rubicon, Grounded Boots, the Homebuilders Association, and Habitat for Humanity. Throughout my career, emergency management professionals and I have seen the dangers and inefficiencies of untrained volunteers showing up in the aftermath of a disaster. Despite their good intentions, they are often unprepared and ill-equipped for the danger and difficulty of the work. Likewise, an incoming tide of unsolicited, undirected donations becomes a management, storage, and disbursement challenge, one with which western North Carolina still wrestles. Please see links to agencies on readyorange.org and consider offering your financial support. If you are physically able to help clean-up after disasters, I hope you will consider researching vetted, established volunteer groups in advance of the next crisis. Learn how to join their ranks. Tell them the Sheriff sent you! Read More June 25, 2025 #73 Water Safety My father taught me the irony of water: we spend as much time fighting to keep it out of some places as we do trying to contain it within others. Without it, nothing lives, yet it can be incredibly destructive. That contradiction illustrates a critical truth. We cannot control water, and therein lies its danger, especially when it comes to water safety in the summer. Water is powerful, unpredictable, and deceptive. The phrase “still waters run deep” refers to a quiet, calm person with a complex, interesting, inner life – an apt metaphor for the currents and turmoil often lurking beneath the surface of any body of water. I think of the four-acre pond at the Eno Quarry, which closed in 1964. It has claimed at least four lives and broken the bones of countless others who jumped into its serene beauty only to be surprised by its surprising depth and hidden dangers. Did you know a toddler can drown in only two inches of water? Children that young have small bodies, large heads, and are still figuring out how to control their limbs. They usually find it difficult to return to an upright position if they slip in the bathtub or stick their head into a carwash bucket. One panicked inhalation in the water can lead to a blocked airway. Obviously, the shallow end of a pool and the ocean’s edge are therefore dangerous for little ones. If you’ve seen a drowning depicted on TV, you probably have the wrong expectations. Drowning is a surprisingly silent event, not a noisy, violent episode of splashing and screaming. The person is unlikely to call for help; the human body prioritizes breathing and staying afloat over shouting. Sufferers often look calm or even passive to people standing nearby. Victims are usually vertical in the water, with a tipped back head, a mouth just at water level, and glassy, unfocused eyes. They may appear to be climbing a ladder, but they are not making effective movement in any direction. My wife and I have a pool, and our grandkids love it. But the mere presence of that pool means they are always in danger at our house, not just when we are swimming. If they are on the property, someone must have eyes on them. Around a pool, the water watcher is akin to a designated driver at a bar or party but with even more restrictions. Think about the lifeguards you have known. They sit alone, with no phones, conversations, or other distractions. The job requires total concentration and sobriety. People frequently assume children are safer if many adults surround the pool, lake, or seashore. The reality is that if everyone is “watching the kids,” no one is watching them carefully. Even casual conversation distracts; the risks increase exponentially if people are drinking, reading, or scrolling on their phones. Children who take swimming lessons early in life often experience a decreased fear of the water, increased ability to submerge their faces, and some can even demonstrate a survival float−although they might not understand its purpose. I am all for early swim lessons, as long as no one forgets that children younger than three or four rarely have the physical coordination and the mental judgment to be a competent, water-safe swimmer. Experts do not recommend floaties, water wings, or innertubes. These aids can slip off, pop, or trap a child upside down. Life jackets, also called personal flotation devices or PFDs, are the best form of protection. Manufacturers design them with floatation pads that turn a person – even an unconscious one – face up in the water. Everyone on a boat, not just children, should wear a PFD. Intending to grab one in case of an emergency is like planning to buckle your seatbelt during a traffic crash. If the boat capsizes or collides with another vessel, a PFD will rarely be within your reach when you surface after being thrown into the water. Moreover, if you sustain an injury during the emergency, you may have trouble swimming to a PFD or putting it on. No one, regardless of ability, should swim alone. Leave the water if you hear thunder or see lightning. Have a rescue plan, make sure you have a phone nearby, and learn CPR. Water both enhances and threatens life – sometimes in the same moment. Tragedy happens when we assume it won’t. Stay sober, take your turn watching, and above all, respect the power of water. That simple act can mean everything. ### Read More May 28, 2025 #72, Peelian Principles Guide In 1829, Sir Robert Peel established three core ideas and nine principles central to ethical law enforcement. I encourage you to look him up. Often considered the father of modern policing, his almost 200-year-old work has aged quite well. The “Peelian Principles” continue to underpin my beliefs about ethical law enforcement and community relations. In brief, Peel’s core ideas state that law enforcement’s primary goal is to prevent crime, not catch criminals; public support is the key to crime prevention; and officers gain this support by respecting the community. I agree with Peel’s thinking. My team knows I expect professional, ethical, and empathetic behavior as we interact with the people we serve, and we enjoy widespread support. We recognize how special this support is. In recent years, the news media has pushed a narrative of widespread dissatisfaction with law enforcement, amplifying the voices of those clamoring to defund the police. Moreover, and perhaps most disingenuously, journalists hammered away at stories of extensive vacancies and officer attrition as if there were a dishonorable explanation for the departures. They frequently failed to provide the highly relevant context that the 1994 Crime Bill and financial grants from the Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) program enabled the hiring of over 100,000 new officers and deputies in the United States leading to a significant reduction in crime. Thirty years later, those hires are completing their careers and earning retirement, just as do other civil servants such as teachers, health department workers, and courtroom clerks. Likewise, our agency congratulated many experienced deputies and detention officers on their retirements in recent years. Fortunately, we have not suffered the number of vacancies other agencies faced. We continue to enjoy a steady influx of talent as we hire people new to the profession and offer positions to seasoned professionals from other agencies. I like to think the word is out that the Orange County Sheriff’s Office delivers community confidence and safety, and it is easy to sell products you believe in. Success breeds success. Businesses want to open in communities where people feel safe to move about and explore. Criminals tend to avoid places bustling with positive energy, and as people feel safer, they stay out longer, spend more, and talk about how much they love the area in which they live. Thriving businesses seek out such vibrant communities, and as they grow, so does the commercial tax base. Local government then has additional resources to invest in schools and use for infrastructure improvements. As a rising tide lifts all boats, a thriving community also makes the area more attractive to people who want a public safety career. My office currently operates at 93% of our employment capacity, an enviable statistic. I am fortunate to have a recruiter who works hard to find qualified candidates, especially those who are a good fit for our agency. We serve in an honorable profession, and it is one with a lower barrier to entry than some others, as a college degree is not a prerequisite. A motivated candidate can complete the application process in 30-45 days. Once hired, a person starts working in the detention center, gaining experience, and eventually choosing whether to continue serving there, or to pursue the additional training necessary to become a deputy. If the new-employee already holds law enforcement certification when hired, they generally work in the detention center for a shorter period, meeting colleagues, learning our culture, and waiting for an opening in the field-training program. We begin incorporating new team members into the fabric of our agency immediately. First, and most importantly, we orient them to the standard of our office and make it clear that everyone must commit to upholding it. Second, we provide strong leadership and support from the top down as new employees acclimate to our brand of service-delivery. Third, we demonstrate that we value our employees, and we do so by investing in appropriate training and high-quality equipment. When people feel both committed to the mission and valued by the team, a culture of stability grows, benefitting the individual, the agency, and the broader community. Someone will wear the badge. I want to find the best and the brightest to have that privilege. Once hired, it is my job to lead in such a way that our employees believe serving with us is work worthy of their time and talents. If you or someone you know might be a good fit, please call Sergeant Glenn Powell at 919-245-2944. ### Read More Load More

577e965f-6225-4497-b8dd-71b07f7c531d #83, Discretion is a Two-Way Street April 29, 2026 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Why do we give some people a warning and others a ticket for speeding? If marijuana is illegal in North Carolina, why aren’t we arresting and charging someone in possession of a small amount for personal use? How do deputies decide? Law enforcement officers have discretion in most situations. For example: I recently pulled over a driver after she passed me going 110 miles per hour. When I approached her car, I saw the passenger writhing in pain. While I knew the driver had broken the law, I now understood why. I escorted her to the hospital rather than sending her to traffic court. Our general policy is to seize and destroy small amounts of marijuana but not to charge the person with a crime. Although people legally use marijuana recreationally in many states, in North Carolina, possession of a small amount of the drug is a Class 3 misdemeanor and typically results in a fine with no jail time. Taking someone to the magistrate’s office for that offense is a significant drain on a deputy’s time. It is more important for us to remain on patrol, responding to true public safety emergencies. Other jurisdictions in North Carolina make different choices and will arrest for any amount of marijuana. Communities set their own priorities. We choose to focus on drug traffickers moving large quantities of illegal substances—not those who might smoke a joint now and then. There are also times when the law removes discretion. Under N.C.G.S. §50B-2, if a deputy has probable cause to believe someone has violated a protective order, he or she SHALL make a warrantless arrest. Shall is a powerful word. Where most laws give deputies authority, not a mandate to act, this one requires a specific action—even if the officer believes another course might be more appropriate. In these cases, the statute also limits the magistrate’s discretion to set the conditions of pretrial release. The alleged offender must be held in the detention center for a 48-hour cooling-off period. Deputies also have no discretion when it comes to the duty to intervene. The Criminal Justice Reform bill, passed in September 2021, addresses the “blue wall of silence.” If a law enforcement officer witnesses a colleague committing what the observing person believes to be an unlawful act, such as the use of excessive force, he or she MUST step in or speak up. Additionally, the law requires the observing officer to report the incident to a superior within 72 hours. Courts have made clear that an officer’s use of discretion must be judged based on the facts and circumstances as they appeared at the time—not what is later learned. Expecting an officer to distinguish a real gun from a toy weapon while standing 50 yards away is not reasonable. Expecting officers on scene to intervene when a fellow officer keeps a knee on a man’s neck for nine minutes is. Likewise, civilians should avoid inserting facts known to them or later discovered into their evaluation of a use-of-force incident. Regardless of whether the officer knew the person was a church deacon, a single father, or a cancer patient, such details have no bearing on whether the officer’s actions were appropriate. Citizens exercise discretion as well. My cell phone number hangs on the wall in the public lobby of the Sheriff’s Office. I put it there because I trust people to know the difference between calling me in the middle of the night for an urgent matter and waking me up seeking a restaurant recommendation. Civilians also exercise discretion when the decide to call law enforcement. Not every unfamiliar situation is a threat, and not every person who “looks out of place” is doing something wrong. Perception is shaped by experience—and sometimes by bias. Calls based on misinterpretation can divert deputies from true emergencies and create unnecessary encounters that escalate tensions rather than resolve them. People should report legitimate concerns promptly, but we all share a responsibility to pause, assess, and ensure that what we are seeing is truly a law enforcement matter before dialing 911. The law does not account for every human circumstance, so we ask deputies to consider situations with judgment, context, and humanity. We deal with people—not just violations on paper. When deputies exercise discretion wisely, and when people extend it thoughtfully in return, trust grows, deputies are more effective, and our communities become safer. Previous Next

82d9d62d-8a56-4831-83f9-f19e3f57fc4a #8, Meals at the Detention Center February 26, 2020 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Managing the Orange County Detention Center is one of my most important responsibilities. While inmates are in the custody of the county, we provide for their safety, medical care, and transportation to and from court. We also feed them, and in this month’s Lowdown, I want to explain how we accomplish this. Anyone who has hosted a dinner party for a dozen people knows that preparing a meal for a large group can be challenging. Imagine this: cooking and serving three meals a day EVERY DAY for approximately 127 people. Not only that, you must meet state nutritional guidelines, you are required to accommodate religious and dietary restrictions, you have no dining room, and you must do this in a 95-year old facility. This is not a hypothetical scenario. Juan Ortez, Trisha Corbett, Linda Booker, Ramon Rangel, Jackie Irby, and Fred McAdoo do this every day. They are the dietary staff at our detention facility, and they are unsung heroes. Based on our average daily census of 127, our staff prepares approximately 381 meals per day, which is 2667 meals per week, and 138,684 meals per year. Our kitchen is small, measuring only 24’ x 30’. Within those 720 square feet are many pieces of commercial kitchen equipment, two large trash cans, and two of the three rolling carts used for delivering the food to the inmates. [The task requires three carts, but only two can fit in the kitchen at a time.] Actual working space is extremely limited and highly coordinated movements are required! The kitchen operates 13 hours a day, starting at 4 am. The staff serves breakfast at 6 am, lunch at 11 am, and dinner at 4 pm. The kitchen closes at 5 pm. All meals are hot, except for the evening meal on Saturday and Sunday; those include sandwiches, carrots, and an apple. The dietary staff washes dishes by hand before running them through a sanitizer. Weekly, they also stock the pantry, refrigerator, and freezer with supplies. It takes two hours to stock the shelves with food from one large delivery truck. A registered dietician with the Orange County Health Department plans the meals. By state regulation, an inmate must receive two dairy servings, two fruit servings (one must be citrus), three servings of vegetables, two servings of meat or protein, and four servings of whole grain or enriched bread every day for a total of 2100- 2500 calories. We serve milk, orange juice, or unsweetened tea. If an inmate wants a sweetened drink, he or she must purchase it from the canteen. We source much of our food locally. Latta’s Egg Ranch, located just north of Hillsborough, is our egg vendor. The North Carolina State Farmer’s Market delivers our fresh produce weekly. In order to minimize our impact on the environment, we work with a commercial compost company – it picks up our food waste twice a week – and Piedmont Biofuels comes once a month to recycle our grease. For safety reasons, we do not serve food on hard trays. All meat must be boneless, and inmates cannot have access to metal utensils. We do not have a cafeteria; inmates eat in their cells. Unfortunately, we have not found a suitable alternative to the Styrofoam food containers we use to serve the meals. We tried biodegradable containers, but found they were not durable enough. We continue to search for a better solution. The dietary staff, some of whom have worked in upscale restaurants, admits that working in the detention center requires an adjustment. When they arrive at work, they are locked into the facility. Some people cannot get comfortable with that reality, but most people who accept this job figure out a way to make it work for them; my most senior staffer has been with the detention center for over 18 years. Although the work is difficult, it comes with job security. This “restaurant” is in little danger of going out of business, and Orange County employees enjoy good benefits. Additionally, the work is rewarding. The inmates often provide positive feedback, and detention officers provide assistance by cracking eggs and chopping vegetables. There is a strong sense of camaraderie among all people who work in the detention center. As Fred McAdoo, one of the cooks, told me recently, “To be successful here, you have to love the employees and you can’t hate the inmates.” Previous Next

cfd19ae3-f6c5-4733-8120-277f27602b76 #69, A Decade in Review February 26, 2025 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood So much in life depends on perspective. For example, the fact that I am midway through my third term strikes me as mildly interesting. But the fact that I’ve been serving as Sheriff for over 10 years blows my mind! When first elected, I worried about taking the reins of a large agency with varied, complex, and sometimes dangerous responsibilities. My predecessor served for 32 years, and agencies can be slow to change. I remain pleasantly surprised at how quickly we established a new organizational culture by focusing on open communication. I prioritized providing the training, equipment, and support the staff deserved. I knew I wanted members of my staff to be the best possible versions of themselves, but I did not realize yet how much watching them improve, grow, and achieve their goals would mean to me personally. Although a sheriff is obviously a law enforcement professional, I spend most of my time communicating with others and building relationships. Through interactions with the chiefs of surrounding agencies, members of community groups, and local, state, and federal leaders, I’ve learned the importance of establishing partnerships before the blue and red lights flash. Trust is hard won and easily broken, and nurturing these connections is one of the most impactful ways I can support my staff and improve community safety. In law enforcement, trust is everything. I thought it might be interesting to share which technological advancement I feel revolutionized law enforcement the most during the last decade, and I really tried to answer this question. I considered our improved ballistic protection, safer vehicles, in-car data terminals, incredible optics and scopes on our firearms, social media connectivity, body worn cameras, mobile phone applications, radios with improved interoperability, advanced cell phone technology, and our drone fleet. But as I grew increasingly frustrated trying to identify the most stunning technological advance, I realized something truly profound. No piece of technology will ever compare to the dedication of those who step forward to serve. Shiny new toys and capabilities are great, but humans will always be the X-factor. Readers might wonder if I can point to a single event that impacted our agency the most thus far in my tenure. Without a doubt, that would be the senseless murders of 14-year-old Lyric Woods and 18-year-old Devin Clark in September 2022. This case hit home for many of us, especially those with children. My daughter, now a mother herself, tells me she finally understands why I always told her before she left the house, “Be careful and be smart.” A case like that changes a community. Horror, grief, fear, and outrage can leave us all struggling to remember that although evil exists, it is still a beautiful world. If I could obliterate one issue from the landscape of Orange County, I would choose opioids. Over the past decade, countless calls directly involved, or resulted from, the use of these drugs. This list includes break-ins, people stealing from family and friends, the exacerbation of mental illnesses, profound impacts on personal relationships, and a tendency to increase poverty. I’ve experienced two major personal changes during my tenure: the death of my mother and the births of my grandchildren. My mother was proud to see me become Sheriff, and although I miss her, I am grateful for the lessons she taught me and the sacrifices she and my father made. I try to honor her legacy of service before self, and I hope to pass those lessons to my three- and five-year-old grandsons. My love for them is deeper than I can explain. At their young ages, all they really understand is that I am like Woody the Sheriff, their favorite character from the movie Toy Story, but I hope one day they will be proud of me, too. Nothing about being Sheriff has changed my favorite food or my favorite day of the year. I still love a cheeseburger with mustard, chili, onions, and slaw, and I still love my birthday, February 19, because it marks important progress toward warmer weather and abundant daylight. I hate the cold and find winter depressing, but soon after my birthday, color begins to return, and a dormant landscape awakens. The saying “Love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life,” rings true for me. After 10 years as sheriff and over 40 in the Sheriff’s Office, I remain excited to come to work every day. I am grateful to the voters for their trust, and I thank my family, my staff, and their families for their continued dedication and support. ### Previous Next

cdac5cfb-2c8d-4724-9e34-64385c338bd4 #55, Vehicle Crashes December 27, 2023 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood A well-known adage holds that only two things are certain - death and taxes. For the sake of this month’s Lowdown, I am adding a third item to that list – vehicle crashes. Almost everyone I know has been in at least one accident as the at-fault driver, a passenger, or the motorist who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Wrecks can be deadly or painful, they are usually expensive, and they are always inconvenient and stressful. In the immediate aftermath, people generally struggle to remember exactly what they should do. Let’s start at the very beginning. People have a responsibility to themselves and to other motorists to maintain their vehicles properly. Bald tires, inoperable turn signals, worn out brakes, broken taillights, and crumbling wiper blades can all lead to a person causing or being unable to avoid a crash. North Carolina requires a yearly safety inspection to help identify these issues, and a person may not renew a license plate without proof that this assessment is complete, and any problems addressed. Law enforcement officers stop driver for expired tags because an out-of-date sticker signals that a qualified technician has not inspected the vehicle or that the vehicle failed the inspection, and the operator has not corrected the identified problems. Frankly, many people would not maintain their vehicle unless required to do so. Prior to getting behind the wheel, it is generally a good idea for drivers to let someone know where they are going and when they plan to arrive. Ideally, motorists carry safety equipment, including a flashlight, first aid kit, and blankets. Many people think they don’t need a jacket because they are taking a quick trip to run a short errand. They feel differently once they’ve waited an hour or more in the cold for a trooper and a tow truck! I mention troopers because in the unincorporated parts of the county, the Highway Patrol investigates traffic crashes on state-maintained roads and in public vehicular areas. My deputies will respond to assist, render aid, or direct traffic, but troopers conduct the crash investigation and write any required reports. The wait times are often long, especially during rain or snow events when multiple collisions typically occur. Although such delays are frustrating, leaving the scene of a crash is against the law. Drivers must report any crash in which someone is injured or killed or property damage of at least $1,000.00 occurs. If no one seems injured and the property damage appears minimal, one of the parties may suggest handling the matter privately, but I advise against taking this course of action! Vehicles may have hidden damage, people may not realize they are injured, and the other party may provide false information or fail to live up to any roadside agreements. People involved in a collision should do their best to stay calm and proceed carefully. Each driver should assess him or herself and all passengers for injuries, turn on hazard lights, and check to see if it is safe to exit the vehicle. He or she should also heed warnings from witnesses or bystanders – they may see a hazard from their vantage point that the drivers cannot, such as downed power lines, fluid leaks, or oncoming traffic. Witnesses may realize an involved party is seriously hurt, but because of adrenalin or shock, the injured person may not feel pain yet. Once out of the car, all parties should check on others involved in the crash, help uninjured people navigate away from the scene, call for help, and try to alert other motorists. Crash scenes are dangerous places - many wrecks are followed by additional collisions, either in a chain reaction, or because other drivers fail to successfully navigate around the scene of the crash. North Carolina has a fender bender law which requires motorists to move vehicles to the side of the road and out of the path of nearby traffic if it is safe to do so and no one is seriously injured. Although drivers should comply with this law as soon as they can, taking a cell phone photo of the crash before moving the vehicles may be advisable. I encourage everyone to remind themselves frequently that driving is a privilege and a tremendous responsibility. Approach the task with respect and caution and do not operate a vehicle under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Follow applicable laws, avoid distractions, use common sense, and be courteous. I wish everyone safe travels and a healthy 2024. Previous Next

72f5b83d-5731-441d-aff9-6c409d395d6d #40, Social Media September 28, 2022 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood My mother taught me that if I couldn’t say anything nice, I shouldn’t say anything at all. Bernard Meltzer, the former radio host of a long-running advice call-in show, went farther down this path when he said, “Before you speak, ask yourself if what you are going to say is true, is kind, is necessary, is helpful. If the answer is no, maybe what you are about to say should be left unsaid.” Since the tragic murders of Devin Clark and Lyric Woods, I am not sure if there is any place these pieces of advice are more needed than on social media platforms. Many people posted comments that would fail Meltzer’s test. The Sheriff’s Office has a social media presence for many reasons, chief among them to connect with our community. We post our press releases, provide traffic alerts, educate people about current scam activity, showcase the success of our deputies, detention officers, and staff, and let the community know when we are hurting. We find that efforts spent building this community pay dividends when we need to communicate about emergencies like dangerous weather events or road closures, and seeking assistance to identify a suspect or to help locate a missing person. However, social media is a double-edged sword; nowhere has this been more evident than with the recent case involving the murders of Devin and Lyric. We saw many mistruths about the case posted, particularly on Facebook. Some were minor, such as the repeated fallacy that trail cameras recorded relevant footage of the crime. They did not. Others were quite harmful and damaging, full of false allegations that family members of one of the victims committed the crimes. This myth persisted even after investigators sought a juvenile petition against a 17-year-old-suspect. Many comments were unkind. People called some commenters names or criticized the grammar of others. Many people wrote as if they had knowledge or inside information to add to the conversation, but they were incorrect about facts of the case, matters of juvenile law, the number of people involved, when an AMBER Alert can be issued, and who owned the land where the bodies were located. These assertions certainly were not necessary. Social media has a very important place in our collective discourse, but everyone should remember these platforms are not news sites. Reporters from sanctioned news outlets generally follow journalistic standards, among which are that facts must be checked, sources must be verified, and opinions should be reasonably identifiable as such. In other words, journalists endeavor to be truthful, timely, and transparent with what they present to the public. A person commenting on social media has no such obligations and sometimes no such intent. In my opinion, social media comments overall likely have intensified the grief of those who knew and loved Devin and Lyric. Here at my office, plowing through comments to search for relevant information or leads has been a time-consuming drain on resources. Although we are tough and can take it, reading unkind posts about our competence, motives, and ethics as we mine the comments for useful information is not a neutral endeavor. I, for one, have never found the old adage about sticks and stones to contain much wisdom. Words do have power, and they can hurt. That said, we are thankful for those who express faith in our abilities, gratitude for our efforts, and empathy for the unspeakable difficulty of the work we do, especially when investigating a case as tragic as this one. As is well known, we are seeking to apprehend a 17-year-old suspect. Juvenile law prohibits us from saying more. This prohibition is not a recommendation or a suggestion. It is ironclad. We know people are confused, scared, angry, and hungry for information. Even so, we are unable to share additional information with the families of the victims, we cannot talk to mainstream media outlets about details, and we will not post specifics on social media platforms. Once apprehended, the suspect will maintain an absolute right to complete confidentiality while the case remains under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court. This protection will be hard for people to accept. Although the public is anxious to learn more details, pressure from social media does not alter the law we are sworn to uphold. When we communicate with those we serve, we do our best to be professional and kind, working always to build trust. We will continue to do so. Previous Next

9a196fc3-81d6-43ba-b513-15a41e7ff0d9 < Back ONE CHARGED, ONE STILL AT LARGE IN ATTEMPTED BURGLARY OF BUSINESS May 22, 2025 Hillsborough, NC (May 22, 2025) – Deputies arrested one person and took out charges against another after the pair wrecked a stolen vehicle while driving away from a business they attempted to burgle. Deputies responded to the 3500 block of NC Highway 86 South after the business owner called 911 and reported seeing someone breaking into his shop on security cameras. As deputies arrived, they witnessed a silver Ford Focus leaving at a high rate of speed, headed north on NC Highway 86 without any lights on. The vehicle crashed approximately 2.7 miles away. The driver fled from the stolen vehicle on foot. Deputies arrested passenger Kharla Aparicio, 22, for conspiring to commit felony larceny, felony possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, and possession of burglary tools. She is in the Orange County Detention Center under a $20,000.00 secured bond and will appear in court on May 23, at 2:00 pm. Deputies also took out six felony warrants for Erlin Lopez, 24, charging him with possession of burglary tools, possession of cocaine, fleeing to elude a law enforcement officer, breaking and/or entering, and possession of stolen motor vehicle. Aparicio and Lopez both have Durham addresses. When last seen, Lopez was wearing gray pajama pants and a gray hoodie. Deputies searched for him on foot, using a K9 unit and a drone. They found evidence that suggests he was bleeding heavily as he fled. If you have information about his whereabouts, please call 911 immediately. ### Previous Next 1/0