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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. June 18, 2026 Crime Nothing to Report Fraud Nothing to Report Scam Nothing to Report June 17, 2026 Crime Nothing to Report Fraud Nothing to Report Scam Nothing to Report June 15, 2026 Crime Nothing to Report Fraud Nothing to Report Scam Nothing to Report Load More

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 Sheriff presents scholarship certificate to student Two deputies cook on gas grill for senior picnic detention officer pose together during apprecitation event Sheriff presents scholarship certificate to student 1/9 Public Information Press Release Daily Crime Report The Lowdown SHERIFF’S OFFICE MAKES ARREST IN SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CASE June 2, 2026 Hillsborough, NC (June 2, 2026) – Sergeant Keith Goodwin, an investigator with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Michael Robert Westendorf, 42, of Carrboro yesterday. The charges include six felony warrants for second-degree, and four counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. After receiving an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) tip, ICAC task force members began investigating this case on January 23, 2026. Second-degree exploitation includes duplicating material containing a visual representation of a minor engaged in sexual activity, while third-degree exploitation involves possessing such material. The magistrate ordered Westendorf held in the Detention Center without bond. A judge will determine his bond during first appearances today at 2:00 pm. Nothing current to report. You may follow this link to view older Press Releases Read More #84, Anatomy of a DWI May “Don’t drink and drive.” If you asked 100 people whether those words are good advice, I wager all would agree. The statistical relationship between blood alcohol concentration (BAC) and crash risk is well established and ranks among the most replicated findings in traffic safety research. However, it is deeply disturbing that North Carolina law enforcement officers arrested 14,655 people for driving while impaired (DWI) in 2024. A law enforcement officer in North Carolina must prove three essential elements beyond a reasonable doubt to secure a DWI conviction. The defendant must drive or operate a vehicle on a street, highway, or in a public vehicular area while impaired. A person meets this last element if he or she is under the influence of any impairing substance ─ including prescription drugs or marijuana ─ that causes an appreciable loss of normal bodily or mental faculties. A person is also impaired if he or she has a BAC of 0.08 percent or higher, or any amount of a Schedule I controlled substance or its metabolites in the blood or urine. Although many people are aware of the 0.08 percent BAC limit, they may not understand the corresponding degree of impairment. A standard drink is five ounces of wine, 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor, or a 12-ounce beer. An average-sized man may reach a 0.08 percent BAC after consuming four to five standard drinks within a single hour. Meanwhile, it might take only three to four drinks for a woman. Please note these are broad generalizations. Some people are significantly impaired with a lower BAC, and others may appear to function well despite consuming a higher number of standard drinks. Regardless, with a 0.08 percent BAC, a person is considered legally impaired ─ drunk, and not merely buzzed. Accordingly, he or she experiences slower reaction time, poor coordination, and diminished judgment, all of which are necessary for safely operating a vehicle. We aim to remove impaired drivers from Orange County roads, as we see too many preventable alcohol-related tragedies. Fortunately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration established six categories of visual clues to help law enforcement officers identify drivers who may be drunk. For example, if a motorist has trouble maintaining proper lane position, demonstrated by weaving, swerving, or almost striking another object, the probability that the driver’s BAC exceeds 0.08 ranges between 50 and 70 percent. If a deputy observes multiple clues or clues from more than one category, the likelihood that the driver is impaired increases. After observing clues and conducting a traffic stop, the officer asks for the driver’s license and registration and likely directs the driver to exit the vehicle. Drivers must comply with such requests; however, they retain other rights, such as remaining silent or requesting legal counsel. A deputy suspecting impairment usually asks the driver to perform standardized field sobriety tests (SFSTs) to evaluate the person’s condition. Although the driver can refuse, the magistrate may use such a refusal as an indicator that weighs in favor of establishing probable cause to arrest. SFSTs include looking for specific involuntary eye movements, the walk-and-turn test, and a one-leg stand. Again, the more clues a driver exhibits, the higher the probability the BAC is above a 0.08 percent. If the deputy still believes the person is appreciably impaired, he or she will transport the driver to the Intoxilyzer, an instrument that measures blood alcohol concentration through breath analysis. If a driver refuses to blow, he or she faces immediate revocation of driving privileges, and the deputy will ask a magistrate to grant a search warrant to draw the defendant’s blood. The blood draw occurs by force if necessary and may reveal the presence of additional impairing substances. Generally, upon finding that the deputy had probable cause to make the arrest, a magistrate may allow a first-time offender to sign a written promise to appear in court and leave the detention center with a sober adult. The wheels of justice turn slowly. It can take between six months and two years for a DWI case to reach final disposition. Along the way, the consequences add up and include embarrassment and inconvenience. The total cost generally ranges between $10,000 and $17,000 which may include court and legal fees, an alcohol assessment, increased insurance premiums, lost work time, the costs of alternate transportation, and more. These figures skyrocket if the defendant crashed or injured anyone. There are many options cheaper than a lawyer, safer than a crash, and better for your future. I’ll therefore end where I began. Don’t drink and drive. ### Read More Thursday, June 18, 2026 Crime Nothing to Report 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

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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

c16f8613-da35-441e-9a3c-47855adec12c < Back VUKMER IN CUSTODY March 6, 2026 Hillsborough, NC (March 6, 2026) – At approximately 5:15 pm, an Orange County investigator serving as a member of the US Marshals Carolina Regional Fugitive Task Force, working with the Capital Area Regional Task Force in Grayson County, Virginia, took Matthew Vukmer into custody. At present, Vukmer declined to speak to investigators and requested an attorney. He awaits extradition to North Carolina, a process that may take several weeks. Vukmer’s truck will be towed to the Orange County impound lot for processing. Sheriff Blackwood said, “I am proud of the work our investigators did today. Our task force agreement with our federal partners once again served as a force multiplier, allowing us to quickly apprehend the suspect. We know the family and friends of Paula Floyd experienced a life-shattering event today, and we continue to extend our condolences. It is our hope that they take some small measure of comfort knowing that her assailant is in custody.” Previous Next 1/0

f303c161-77c9-4291-b19e-391a82d0f890 < Back MAN FACES MULTIPLE TRAFFIC, CRIMINAL, AND DRUG CHARGES AFTER ENDANDERING MANY April 9, 2026 Hillsborough, NC (April 9, 2026) – A deputy with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office arrested Kevin Tyler Brown yesterday for multiple traffic and criminal charges after Brown failed to comply with a motor vehicle stop and began driving in a dangerous manner in southern Orange County. Following a crash caused by Brown when he deliberately rammed into a patrol vehicle, deputies located narcotics and cash in the Ford Fiesta Brown was driving. A deputy originally tried to stop Brown, 40, for displaying a fictitious license tag at 12:06 pm on April 8, 2026. As Brown fled, he drove in a reckless and erratic manner, endangering other motorists, sideswiping one while improperly passing, and ultimately crashing into a ditch after deliberately ramming a deputy’s patrol vehicle. Deputies immediately took Brown into custody and located narcotics and cash in his vehicle during a search incident to arrest. Deputies then obtained a search warrant for his residence, an apartment in Carrboro, where they found trafficking amounts of fentanyl, heroin, and methamphetamine. Brown, already an absconder from probation, now faces multiple additional charges for drug trafficking and related crimes. He is currently in the Orange County Detention Center after the magistrate ordered him to be held without bond. Deputies charged Brown with the following crimes and offenses: Flee to elude arrest (felony) Assault with a deadly weapon on a government official (felony) Reckless driving with wanton disregard for the rights/safety of others (misdemeanor) Failure to heed lights or siren (misdemeanor) Hit/Run leave scene property damage (misdemeanor) Window tinting violation (misdemeanor) Operating a vehicle without liability insurance (misdemeanor) Failure of driver to wear seat belt (infraction) Driving the wrong way on a dual-lane highway (infraction) Unsafe passing into oncoming traffic (infraction) Possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule II controlled substance (2 counts, felony) Possession with intent to sell and deliver Schedule IV controlled substance (felony) Maintaining a vehicle or dwelling place for the use, storage, or sale of a controlled substance (2 counts, felony) Trafficking in methamphetamine (3 counts, felony) Trafficking in fentanyl (felony) Possession of drug paraphernalia (misdemeanor) Brown will have his first court appearance this afternoon at 2:00 PM. Previous Next 1/0

c7841497-c055-42a6-b4ca-9cab37142f72 #47, Handgun Policies and Technologies April 26, 2023 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Late last month, the General Assembly voted to override Governor Roy Cooper’s veto of Senate Bill 41, Guarantee 2nd Amendment Freedom and Protections, effectively repealing state laws regarding issuance of pistol purchase permits by NC sheriffs. As a result, my office immediately stopped processing applications. Many people felt this change was an unsettling loss in the fight for better gun control. I want to share some of the policies and technologies used to keep guns out of the wrong hands and to hold accountable those who use them with criminal intent. Although North Carolinians no longer need a permit to purchase a pistol, the laws regarding carrying concealed handguns remain unchanged. Orange County residents wishing to carry a concealed handgun must complete an eight-hour handgun safety class approved by the state’s Criminal Justice Education and Standards Commission. Residents must then come to my office to apply for a concealed handgun permit, and my staff determines whether the applicants are eligible to receive one. Despite some misunderstanding, Senate Bill 41 does not deregulate gun sales. A firearms dealer must complete an instant background check on a buyer at the time of purchase. Known as a NICS check, this process is designed to reveal if the purchaser has any automatic disqualifiers. Examples of such disqualifiers include conviction of a crime punishable by more than a year in prison, a dishonorable discharge from the armed forces, or being the subject of certain court orders regarding intimate partner violence or danger to a child. If the NICS check reveals any disqualification, the dealer will deny the sale. Private purchases or transfers do not require a background check; however, it is illegal to knowingly transfer a handgun to a person who cannot lawfully possess it. Of course, people intent on carrying or using weapons sometimes steal weapons if they cannot legally purchase them. Unfortunately, many people do not store their legally acquired guns safely. Perhaps they want the weapon readily at hand; unfortunately, thieves know the accessible hiding spots. The same principle applies to the locations where motorists stash weapons – under the seat, in the center console, or in the glove compartment. Thieves check these places first. Please contact my office for a free gun lock or more information about safe firearm storage. Some people who cannot legally possess weapons seek to purchase them through unlawful means. A 2019 Department of Justice survey found that 43 percent of criminals purchased their weapons on the black market. Another eleven percent had someone else buy the weapon(s) for them; this practice is known as a straw purchase. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) formed a network of Crime Gun Intelligence Centers in 2016. This interagency collaboration collects, analyzes, and shares information about guns encountered by law enforcement, including guns used in crimes, and those that are lost, found, or of concern in domestic violence situations. The Intelligence Centers identify links using eTrace, a secure network that attempts to trace guns back to the point of last legal purchase. Studying these links can help develop leads that may link a suspect to a firearm, identify patterns that reveal firearms trafficking, and determine who engages in straw purchases. The ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers also use the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) as part of their violent crime reduction strategy. This technology helps investigators match ballistics evidence from separate crime scenes to reveal connections. When someone discharges a weapon, the firing pin strikes the shell casing causing an explosion, which propels the bullet forward down the barrel. Meanwhile, the extractor hooks the casing and pulls it from the chamber, ejecting it from the weapon. Both actions mark the shell casing in a unique fashion. In perhaps overly simplistic terms, each gun has a fingerprint it transfers to the shell casing. NIBIN scans and compares ballistic evidence from shooting scenes and recovered firearms, building a list of similar results. Trained technicians then work to determine whether the identified connection can be confirmed as a match. In fiscal year 2022, NIBIN locations acquired over 631,000 pieces of evidence and generated over 189,000 leads. The NIBIN technology efficiently processes such volume, which will continue to increase as more agencies submit evidence. Society continues to wrestle with balancing Second Amendment freedoms against the right to live safely in our communities. There are no obvious or easy answers. Please know I am working here in Orange County, and across the state through my involvement with the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, to study the problems and find opportunities to propose workable solutions. I welcome your thoughts and ideas. Previous Next

43030b8a-fff1-4f80-9a10-3c5535502d5e < Back SHERIFF’S OFFICE MAKES ARREST IN SEXUAL EXPLOITATION CASE June 2, 2026 Hillsborough, NC (June 2, 2026) – Sergeant Keith Goodwin, an investigator with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, arrested Michael Robert Westendorf, 42, of Carrboro yesterday. The charges include six felony warrants for second-degree, and four counts of third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. After receiving an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) tip, ICAC task force members began investigating this case on January 23, 2026. Second-degree exploitation includes duplicating material containing a visual representation of a minor engaged in sexual activity, while third-degree exploitation involves possessing such material. The magistrate ordered Westendorf held in the Detention Center without bond. A judge will determine his bond during first appearances today at 2:00 pm. Previous Next 1/0

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

01bdab09-5be4-4d7a-a794-35f98609e24b #12, Case Management in CID May 27, 2020 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood In 2019, the Criminal Investigations Division (CID) at the Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigated 660 cases, an amount comparable to the prior year. The classic “catch a suspect red-handed” case is relatively rare, but when it happens, the responding patrol deputy interviews involved parties, collects relevant evidence, and presents findings to a magistrate. If the magistrate finds there was probable cause for the arrest, he or she establishes pretrial release conditions and sets the first court date. Our CID is not involved. More often, a patrol deputy responds to a call for service or discovers a property crime while on patrol. If there is no suspect on scene or there is not enough evidence to arrest a suspect, the case is assigned to the CID. Before I explain further, let me make an important clarification. Some crimes are classified as misdemeanors; others are felonies. Misdemeanors are less serious crimes (shoplifting, for example, as compared to burglary or armed robbery), and they carry less severe punishments. The victim in a misdemeanor can appear before a magistrate on his or her own behalf and petition for a criminal summons or warrant. If issued, and the alleged suspect/defendant is served, the matter will then be handled in criminal court. By contrast, if the crime is a felony (for example, drug trafficking, assault with a deadly weapon, sexual assault, or murder) the victim cannot directly take out the charges. A law enforcement officer (or the district attorney) must appear before the magistrate and present evidence and testimony on the victim’s behalf before the charges can be filed. Eleven investigators serve in the CID. When a deputy receives a promotion to the division, he or she initially receives in-house training and specialized equipment such as a camera, a fingerprint processing kit, DNA sample kits, a gunshot residue kit, a measuring device, and evidence placards. He or she also attends off-site trainings in basic evidence collection, interview and interrogation, and case management. This latter course teaches the investigator how to prioritize tasks, organize evidence, pursue leads, document findings, and prepare the case for court. Two of our investigators are evidence specialists; other investigators have expertise in digital forensics; while still others have advanced training working with juvenile victims or sexual trauma. All are cross-trained because although they primarily work a regular schedule, they are each on-call one week at a time for murders, serious crimes, serious assaults, rapes, and unintended or suspicious deaths that occur outside of regular working hours. Once assigned a case, an investigator attempts to solve it through interviews, examination of evidence, verification of anonymous tips, or through further developments, such as when stolen items appear in pawn shops. If an arrest is made, the case is considered cleared. Last year, we cleared 165 cases by arrest. If the investigation reveals no crime actually occurred, the case will be cleared and categorized ‘unfounded.’ This occurred 53 times last year. If the prime suspect in a criminal matter dies before the case was solved, or if we learn the crime actually occurred in a different jurisdiction, an investigator will close the case as exceptionally cleared; this designation was used 11 times last year. A case may be designated as inactive if an investigator exhausts all leads and a month goes by in which no additional information is received. In such a situation, the case can be reactivated if someone provides additional information or if new technology becomes available. DNA is a classic example of this; as the science improves, many inactive cases become solvable. In rape or serious assault cases, the investigation remains open until the statute of limitations runs. There is no statute of limitations on murder cases. If not solved, murder cases remain open. Although there are perhaps no more leads and no further evidence to pursue, an investigator will periodically review the file to remain familiar with the facts of the case and to determine if new forensic methods could be employed. Investigators value providing closure to a victim or a victim’s family and improving the safety of the community through the prosecution of criminals. Despite our success last year, we carried thirty one active cases into this year. One hundred and ninety-five new cases have been assigned thus far in 2020. The Criminal Investigations Division will continue to pursue justice on behalf of victims, and I am proud of the commitment, compassion, and professionalism with which they approach their service to the residents of Orange County. Previous Next

cb5f28db-064e-4e7e-a257-9bfc9448f69e #7, Non-Lethal Force January 29, 2020 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Deputies often respond to calls involving conflict, extreme emotion, and sometimes violence. A deputy faced with a tense, volatile situation has two primary goals: de-escalate the situation without the use of lethal force and provide for the safety of everyone at the scene, including him or herself. Obviously, deputies arrive at a call with powerful tools at their disposal. They have non-lethal tools, such as handcuffs and pepper spray, and a highly lethal weapon, a Glock.40 semi-automatic handgun. If trained and certified, a deputy will also have a Taser, a conducted electrical weapon. Although rarely lethal, a Taser causes intense pain, and a person may suffer injury after falling to the ground. However necessary it is for a public safety professional to have tools like firearms and Tasers, they are tools of last resort. In this month’s edition of The Lowdown, I want to discuss two training initiatives I employ in my office designed to provide deputies with the skills and confidence to achieve their primary goals without the use of lethal force. The first is a system pioneered by Dr. George Thompson known as verbal judo. Thompson’s research convinced him that injuries almost always resulted from an escalation in a situation that occurred after law enforcement arrived at a scene, rather than from violence already underway prior to the arrival. He believed those trained in verbal judo would stay calmer in the face of the elevated emotions of others, deflect verbal abuse directed their way, and effectively lower hostile emotions through the use of empathy. Although Thompson died in 2001, his beliefs echo through my office and countless other law enforcement agencies across the nation. I arranged for the Verbal Judo Institute to train my deputies because I wanted them to be as competent with words as they are with firearms. I firmly agree with Thompson’s main premise: it is safer for everyone if deputies are able to achieve voluntary compliance through verbal judo, rather than use the strong arm of the law to force it. The Institute not only taught deputies new skills, it also increased their confidence and lowered their anxiety in interactions with distressed, emotionally charged individuals. Deputies with verbal judo skills tend to exude an air of calm confidence others pick up on. This confidence is also built through the other training initiative we’ve invested in since I became Sheriff. Gracie Survival Tactics (GST) is a modification of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu developed by Helio Gracie in the 1920s. The system helps peace officers and military personnel prevail even against larger, stronger opponents using skills such as leverage and redirection. The system recognizes the unique concerns of law enforcement, for example, if a deputy has to go “hands on” with someone, he or she not only needs to gain control of that person with the minimum amount of force, the deputy also has to do so while protecting his or her own weapon. Jon Daniel, one of my deputies, introduced me to his friend, Sunny Yu, who owns a Gracie dojo in Durham. In order to hold a GST “train the trainer” workshop, at least 40 people must attend. Sunny helped us enroll 64 participants, mostly from our agency and the surrounding area, and some from other states and countries. Members of the Gracie family came from California and spent five intensive days teaching participants the techniques of their proprietary system. Attendees practiced extensively and learned progressive methods to teach the skills to colleagues. We also invested in wrestling mats and had them installed under the detention center. Every week, my deputies and officers from the surrounding area have the opportunity to practice “rolling” with each other to improve their skills and build muscle memory. GST, like verbal judo, is a game changer. A deputy should never look to fight, but it is ironic that those best at grappling need to do it least often. This is because they tend to project a quiet confidence that minimizes someone else’s desire to test them. This confidence also reduces a deputy’s anxiety in a tense situation, helping him or her better remember and utilize other skills and knowledge to help resolve the situation safely. Our goal is to protect and serve everyone – even those who are agitated, intoxicated, angry, and perhaps looking to do us harm. We practice verbal judo and GST because they are effective, non-lethal ways to help us accomplish this goal. Previous Next