Search Results

8e4019b6-cb86-4af6-a0a1-3466c305123d < Back ADDITIONAL MAN FACES CHARGES FOR NOVEMBER BREAK-INS January 7, 2026 Hillsborough, NC (January 7, 2026) – Investigators with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office charged an additional man, Keshaun Christopher Byrd, 24, with multiple offenses related to a series of November crimes committed in neighboring communities on Red Hill Lane and Seven Springs Road. Byrd is in the Durham County Detention Center under an $847,000.00 bond as he awaits trial on similar charges from multiple agencies. Officials served Byrd yesterday at the jail with the following felony warrants from the Orange County crimes: 22 counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle. Larceny of a motor vehicle. Larceny of a firearm. First-degree burglary to a residence. Attempted first-degree residential burglary. Three counts of breaking and entering sheds and other outbuildings. Sergeant K. Goodwin, the lead Orange County investigator, started considering Byrd as a suspect after collaborating with colleagues at the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office. Goodwin determined that Byrd was with Jostin Josue Ramirez-Duarte, 18, and a 17-year-old person at the time of the November crimes. Officials charged them in December. [See previously issued news release below for more information.] Byrd, a Durham resident, remains in the Durham County jail under the Pretrial Integrity Act. This statute allows for preventative detention for people charged with certain additional offenses while awaiting trial on other crimes. For the new crimes, a judge, not a magistrate, must set or deny conditions of pretrial release at the defendant’s first appearance. That court hearing is scheduled for Thursday, January 8, 2026. Previous Next 1/0

e9abe951-9a30-4cd6-938c-06b9670c7300 #62, Alerts July 31, 2024 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood When someone is in grave danger, law enforcement officials in North Carolina can request an emergency alert from the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons (NCCMP), a division of the Department of Public Safety. Officials designed these alerts to share information rapidly about a person who is missing, kidnapped, or poses a danger to law enforcement officers or the community at large. Because these alerts are a plea for community assistance, the NCCMP requires detailed and relevant information. A vague alert is simply not useful. Once the NCCMP approves the request, broadcasters interrupt regular programming to announce it, transportation officials post the information on emergency highway signs, the Wireless Emergency Alerts program distributes the news to cell phones, and the NC Education Lottery places the message on gaming terminals. Each alert has a unique purpose. AMBER Alerts, an acronym for America's Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response, is the most widely known. It is named in memory of Amber Hagerman, a Texas nine-year-old, who was kidnapped and murdered. After her death, broadcasters in her state partnered with local police departments to design an early warning system to aid in the search for abducted children. Versions of the resulting program soon spread to other states. AMBER Alerts are used for children under 18 years of age who are believed to have been abducted by someone other than a parent. If an alert is issued for a child taken by a parent, authorities must believe the child is in danger of injury or death, not merely a pawn in a custody dispute. Likewise, children who run away from home or are missing voluntarily do not qualify for an alert. The Ashanti Alert Act is named after Ashanti Billie, a woman killed by her abductor in 2017. Law enforcement officers request Ashanti alerts when adults are missing under circumstances that indicate their physical safety is in peril, perhaps from domestic violence, sexual assault, or human trafficking. President Barack Obama signed Blue Alerts into law in 2015 after the murder of two New York City detectives while sitting in a patrol car. Prior to the attack, their killer posted threats on social media to the law enforcement community. Blue Alerts provide advance warning of credible threats, aid in the apprehension of violent criminals who killed or seriously injured an officer, and hinder an offender’s ability to flee the state. North Carolina authorities no longer issue Silver Alerts. This reality surprises many people. In July 2023, the North Carolina Legislature replaced Silver Alerts with the Missing Endangered designation, but this change received little publicity. Used in cases where a missing person had dementia or another cognitive impairment, Silver Alerts were effective. In fact, approximately 70% of people with dementia go missing at least once, and Silver Alerts have proven critical in many of the over 100,000 search and rescue missions conducted nationwide each year. However, Silver Alerts applied only to people 50 years of age and older, and that limitation proved problematic. In recent years, my deputies also have searched for multiple people younger than 50 who went missing and were vulnerable to exploitation, physical vulnerability, or death. In these cases, we had no mechanism to notify the broader community quickly. When officials removed the age restriction and renamed Silver Alerts to Missing Endangered Alerts, they vastly increased the number of adults who might benefit from this tool. If you receive an alert, we need your help! AMBER, Ashanti, and Blue alerts all operate on the premise that someone may avoid a handful of law enforcement officers yet find it quite difficult to hide from thousands of people. Pay close attention to details in an alert. Watch for the missing person and keep an eye out for the suspect and vehicle described. Report any sightings immediately to 911. Do not engage directly with an abductor, but if feasible and safe, follow from a distance while reporting the person’s location and direction of travel. With a Missing and Endangered alert, the dynamics are different. These situations generally involve a lost, scared, or vulnerable person. Though urgent, they rarely involve a perpetrator. Remain calm if you think you see the missing person. Call 911 and describe the situation and location. If you have a safe opportunity to interact, call the person by name, introduce yourself, and try to keep the person engaged until help arrives. Above all, please do not ignore emergency alerts. We do not request them lightly, and the NCCMP considers them carefully. We appreciate your assistance. ### Previous Next

6f6a24ef-8b0c-4654-92f1-ad4ef6cc300d #44, Crisis Unit January 25, 2023 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Amber Keith-Drowns has been assisting people experiencing domestic violence or intimate-partner abuse for over 21 years; most practitioners in her field burn out within four years. Unfortunately, Amber’s tenacity has its genesis in family tragedy - her grandmother died as the result of interpersonal-family violence. I frequently say that most people in the law enforcement profession have their “WHY,” and Amber is no exception. She keeps her grandmother’s photo on her desk as a visible symbol of her motivation. Every day, Amber reads deputy reports and follows up on domestic disturbances, sexual assaults, child abuse situations, and anything a patrol deputy indicates might benefit from her expertise. She then processes any paperwork related to domestic violence protective orders (DVPO), and she communicates with clerks, judges, and involved advocates. She also provides services to people who call or walk into the office requesting assistance, information, or advice related to domestic violence. Some people are surprised that domestic violence and intimate-partner abuse affect both men and women and occur across all demographic categories, professions, and socioeconomic levels. Violence, of course, includes physical assaults of some sort, whereas abuse involves intimidation or the manipulation of power and control through mental, emotional, financial, or other means. Many people know something is unhealthy about their relationship, but because they have not been physically assaulted, they aren’t sure how to characterize their situation. Such people have what Amber calls “lightbulb moments” in her office when they recognize an abusive relationship can exist even in the absence of bruising or broken bones. In other words, domestic violence is one form of an abusive relationship, but it is not the only one. A DVPO is also known as a 50B, a term which refers to the chapter in the North Carolina General Statutes governing civil actions related to domestic violence. Although it has limitations, a 50B is a powerful tool in the fight against domestic violence. These restraining orders can require an abuser to stay away and have no contact with the victim. The defendant might be ordered to leave the shared residence, and the victim may receive temporary custody of children, at least until a safety plan can be established. In 2022, our Crisis Unit filed 254 DVPOs, assisted with 110 filed by others, and provided consultation, enforcement, or ancillary service related to 108 DVPOs from other counties and states. Of course, not everyone we help needs, wants, or qualifies for a 50B. Therefore, the Crisis Unit provided information and referral, advocacy, assistance with criminal warrants, emergency response, and other forms of supportive services to 1,272 additional people last year. Two full-time law enforcement officers assist Amber. Deputy C. Faircloth has primary responsibility for serving and enforcing DVPOs and/or release conditions established by a judge in a criminal matter. Faircloth also monitors the communications of detention center residents who have been ordered not to contact their victims. Often, newly arrested people make a phone call to the victim in their case almost immediately upon entering the facility. Many continue to do so, despite judicial orders prohibiting such contact and multiple phone system warnings advising that all calls are monitored and recorded! Deputy C. Miller provides supplementary services through the EASE program, an acronym for Empowerment, Advocacy, Safety, and Enforcement. A Governor’s Crime Commission grant supports this program. Who wrote the grant application? Why, Amber, of course! Functioning as a liaison with the District Attorney’s Office and the District Court Judges who hear these cases, Deputy Miller communicates with victims and collaborating agencies, addresses safety and lethality concerns, and facilitates supervised custody exchanges. The National Advocate Credentialing Program recently certified Amber as an Advanced Comprehensive Victim Intervention Specialist in domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse, and human trafficking. Beth Posner, Clinical Associate Professor at the UNC School of Law, wrote a letter in support of Amber’s application for this credential. She said, “Amber creates the docket and sits next to the clerk and the judge, demonstrating the profound role advocacy can play in a courtroom when an advocate has earned the respect and admiration she has within our civil and criminal justice system.” Moreover, the Hillsborough Exchange Club, an organization dedicated to the prevention of child abuse, paid the fee for Amber’s credentialing application and provides emergency supplies for victims. This robust community support speaks volumes. In any emergency, call 911. If you are not in immediate danger, but experience violence or abuse within your relationship, contact our Crisis Unit at (919) 644-3050 or by clicking the Crisis Unit tab on our homepage (www.ocsonc.com ) and selecting “Request Crisis Unit Contact.” Walk-in service is also available Monday through Friday. Amber and her team are ready to help. Previous Next

c3efb734-29c9-4e23-8030-45df90bb28fc #68, Missing Teens January 29, 2025 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Earlier this month, just after posting a news release about a missing teenager, we received four media inquiries asking if we thought the child were in danger. Shortly thereafter, a social media follower expressed a desire for us to provide at least minimal context for missing teen news releases and requested we include whether we believed the child was voluntarily missing. These inquiries concern me because they may signal the first step in a dismissive process. I understand that people want to know into which mental box they should file the situation: might this be something that affects everyone in the community such as a kidnapper, serial killer, sexual predator or the like? Or is this perhaps an unhappy or headstrong teen and therefore of no pressing concern to anyone other than the child’s immediate family and friends? The possibility that readers might reach this latter conclusion bothers me a great deal. No one should be comfortable when adults cannot locate a 15-year-old, no matter the reason. Rest assured, if we issue a news release that begins with the sentence, “The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help,” it is because we are concerned for someone’s safety. We want people to rally around that fact, keep their eyes open for the missing person, and maybe even ask their own children if they know anything that might be useful. We do not want, and cannot afford, for anyone to dismiss the situation. A child missing for any reason is endangered. Regardless of whether a teen ran away, or perhaps just snuck out of the house, if that child stays gone several hours or even days, the outcomes all too often are not good. The situation is therefore an urgent one, and as a community that cares about its youth, we need to treat it accordingly. If someone is missing, it means we don’t know where he or she is or if he or she is safe, and therefore the context does not matter. We simply cannot declare that such a person is not in danger. Let’s talk about teenagers for a minute. I would wager that almost everyone (except people older than 12 and younger than 20!) would agree that adolescents, in general, are not known for their careful consideration before acting. Many would also remember some of the decisions they made at that age and cringe, maybe with horror, at how impulsive or ill-advised some of their choices were. My mother used to say, “Nothing good ever happens after 11 o’clock.” Although I used to hate that expression, as a parent and grandparent, I understand now what she meant. Too many kids die in crashes, commit stupid pranks that turn out to be criminal acts, become victims of sexual assault, flop in unsafe residential spaces, ingest questionable substances, or trust the wrong person who offers to buy them a hamburger. My communications manager reports that others have accused her (apparently more than once!) of getting lost in the weeds. But she repeatedly tells me she will not say that a missing child or teenager is not in any danger as a code for “this kid is a runaway.” She firmly believes that if no adult knows - at least vaguely - the whereabouts of an adolescent, there might be a problem. She also understands that sometimes, the teen leaves home because the very adult(s) who should be protecting that child are doing anything but. However, she is not insensitive to the human tendency to seek additional information to contextualize the situation. She therefore includes information to help readers frame their understanding of the circumstances surrounding the child’s disappearance. If she writes that a teen “left his residence” she is not-too-subtly hinting that the child did not suffer a kidnapping. If she adds information about where the child might be (“possibly in the White Cross area”), there is a strong possibility that deputies have some inkling about where - or in whose company- the missing person might be. Likewise, if my communication manager does not include suspect details, recommendations for increased vigilance, or information about a ransom note, she is probably telegraphing that the community at large has nothing to fear. Instead, we simply need help finding a vulnerable person. I support her approach, and we will continue to report the facts as we know them. To sum it up in one sentence, a missing child is an endangered child, and we are not going to tell you otherwise. ### Previous Next

37cfb8e9-e294-496c-b2d0-fd4bc6ea7119 #17, Good Samaritans October 28, 2020 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood These are difficult times. We are in a global pandemic, a time of social unrest, and in the middle of a contentious election season. Social media is an amazing vehicle for sharing information and connecting with others, but it has its downsides. People often post in anger or haste, and others read the posts and make assumptions or judgement without applying the most charitable interpretation to those posts. A person with a different opinion or favored political candidate is often viewed as a mortal enemy instead of just as a person with a different opinion or favored political candidate. I feel it is important to take a moment to recognize that social media can easily color a person’s perspective in a way that is not necessarily accurate. During a time when so many find themselves divided, it is important to remember we have people in our community who care about others, who have a heart, and who are willing to put others before themselves. There are those among us who realize we are more alike than we are different and understand that any one of us can make a positive contribution. In my more than 40 years of law enforcement experience, I have been on some pretty intense calls. From pulling a badly burned victim from an oil fire at a stone quarry, to preventing family members from reentering a mangled vehicle as they tried to retrieve a deceased family member, to holding the hand of the wife of a high school classmate as I told her that her husband had passed – this job is often not pleasant. But I have not done this job alone, and I am not only speaking about the assistance of the men and women who also serve in law enforcement or other branches of emergency services. I’ve done it with the assistance of countless unsung heroes, many of whom had no training and wore no badge. I’m speaking about the many unnamed people who made the decision to step forward and help someone in an emergency situation because they felt it was the right thing to do. Over the past several weeks, several members of my staff have shared “Good Samaritans” encounters with me. In one instance, there was a rollover accident on the interstate, and the car was on fire. My deputy told me when he arrived at the scene, there were half a dozen people actively trying to rescue and render aid to the occupants of the vehicle. These witnesses weren’t standing back looking or recording video - they actively placed themselves in danger to assist a person who needed help. Another deputy told me about arriving at a chest pains call to find a total stranger providing CPR. In both cases, the deputy seemed to have some degree of surprise that “regular people” were willing to get involved on behalf of someone they did not know. I want to recognize such efforts. These people stepped forward to do the work, rather than just driving by only to go home and complain on social media about being stuck in traffic. My deputies and I deeply appreciate the people who are willing to assist us with emergency situations; even though amidst the chaos of a crisis we might not get the chance to express our thanks. We want people to know it matters. Not only is it essential to the resolution of the emergency, it also boosts our morale to work alongside community members – no matter how briefly. It is hard to quantify the value of the “we are all in this together feeling” it gives us. We have also had that feeling many times over the last several months as individuals and groups within our community wrapped their collective arms around us and made us feel like we matter and that our service is valued. People have approached us on the street to say thank you. Businesses and individuals have sent lunch to the office. We’ve received phone calls, cards, and positive Facebook messages. This support has extended to the entire system of emergency services, including police, fire, EMS, telecommunicators, and those serving in medical facilities. Thank you for letting me use this edition of The Lowdown to express my thanks to the many brave, kind, and generous souls in our community. You help us remember that we are nowhere near as divided as one might think by reading social media. We are connected and responsible for each other, and we appreciate your help. Previous Next

8ced9d35-ac4d-4d69-a17c-be16ac9d82d4 < Back TWO FACE CHARGES FOR CRIMES IN NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES December 16, 2025 Hillsborough, NC (December 16, 2025) – Two males from Durham each face multiple criminal charges after deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office investigated a November series of vehicle break-ins. The break-ins and related crimes occurred on Red Hill Lane and Seven Springs Road, two neighboring communities off Highway 70 East outside the city limits of Hillsborough. Investigators served warrants on one of the men on Sunday, December 15, 2025. Although he is now 18 years old, his status as a juvenile at the time of the crimes protects the release of his identity. He is in the Orange County Detention Center under no bond. His associate, Jostin Josue Ramirez-Duarte, also 18, is currently in the Chatham County Detention Center for unrelated crimes, and deputies there will soon serve the Orange County warrants. The two males arrived in a vehicle in the early morning hours of Friday, November 21, 2025, and traveled between the two neighborhood with a flashlight. They pulled on door handles and entered unlocked vehicles, stealing a firearm, tools, $600 cash, purses, keys, and garage door openers. They also stole a vehicle that night which law enforcement officers in Durham recovered unoccupied after a crash Friday afternoon. The same people returned to Red Hill Lane and Seven Springs Road on November 22, again in the early hours, and committed additional crimes. Deputies canvassed the neighborhoods, knocked on doors, and asked people if they saw or heard anything. These contacts led to several residents checking their vehicles and realizing that they also had been victimized. Footage from several home security systems helped investigators piece together the pairs’ movements and activities through the two small neighborhoods. Evidence left behind in the wrecked vehicle also helped investigators determine the identity of the persons involved. Both men face the following felony charges: 22 counts of breaking and entering a motor vehicle. Larceny of a motor vehicle. Larceny of a firearm. First-degree burglary to a residence. Attempted first-degree residential burglary. Three counts of breaking and entering sheds and other outbuildings. In addition, each faces two misdemeanor charges – one for an attempted break-in to a vehicle, and the other a larceny. Sheriff Charles Blackwood said, “We cannot stress enough how important it is for people to remove valuables from their vehicle every time they leave it unattended. I’ve heard some say they do not lock their doors because they do not want a thief to have a reason to break the windows. Personally, I believe making it easy for others to steal your belongings is just a different costly risk, one that is even greater for those who carry weapons in their vehicles.” Anyone with additional information is asked to call Sergeant K. Goodwin, the lead investigator, at (919) 245-2918. Previous Next 1/0

9c8ca8aa-b963-4262-bf01-7b4b04911637 #36, Deputy Nichols Honored May 25, 2022 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood The United States recognizes National Police Week annually; on May 13 the names of officers, deputies, and other law enforcement agents who died in the line of duty during the previous year are read aloud at a candlelight vigil on the National Mall in Washington, DC. At the vigil, organizers also honor historical line-of-duty deaths. This year, we commemorated the service of Deputy Duncan Joseph Nichols, whose sacrifice had not previously been recognized on the national level. Nichols died in 1904, 58 years before President John F. Kennedy signed the yearly observance of Peace Officer’s Memorial Day into law. Nichols’ death also came 80 years prior to the founding of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF) in 1984. This nonprofit organization built and maintains the national memorial to fallen officers. I shared the facts and circumstances of Deputy Nichol’s death with the Fund in July 2021, and it notified us of his acceptance last August. The National Memorial bears the names of 23,229 officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice. The total includes 619 new names; the 472 officers killed in the line of duty in 2021 and 147 people, like Deputy Nichols, whose death has only recently been verified and recognized. In brief, James Knapp Horner, 58, shot Deputy Nichols in the arm on September 9, 1904 as Nichols attempted to serve a warrant on Knapp for allegedly whipping his daughter-in-law. Nichols bled to death from a severed artery before he could make it home to his family. A posse captured Horner three days later, shooting him in the side during his arrest. Horner’s wounds were not fatal and did not require hospitalization. Convicted of second degree murder in 1905, a court sentenced him to 12 years in prison. Deputy Nichols had a wife and four daughters. The youngest was just a few weeks past her third birthday at the time of her father’s death. His wife of almost 20 years, Pattie, never remarried. She died in 1942, living almost 38 years as a widow. Nichols’ parents and nine siblings also survived him. As I sit here, more than a century later, I find the gravity of his loss difficult to comprehend. As Sheriff, I fear little as much as the line-of-duty death of one of my employees. I hope they understand that ensuring Nichols received this long-overdue acknowledgement is one small way I signal that I fully recognize the magnitude of their willingness to serve and sacrifice for this community every day. Representatives of my office traveled to Washington, DC this month to attend the vigil and view the addition of Nichols’ name to the monument. They attended with William “Bryan” Sykes, his wife Kandi, Wiley Arnold Sykes, and his wife Jean. The Sykes brothers are two of Nichols’ great grandsons; they are the grandsons of his daughter Lida May, who was five when her father died. Although no one alive ever met Deputy Nichols, the events of the weekend were nonetheless emotional. At the law enforcement museum, the group viewed a wall on which photos of the newly recognized officers were displayed. Something about seeing Nichols’ face in such a formal display brought the loss of him into the room. Most survivors were there to grieve a much more recent death, including a boy of about 10, dressed in a perfectly tailored Sullivan County, TN sheriff’s deputy uniform, paying tribute to his father. The freshness of his grief merged with our knowledge of the pain long-dead residents of Orange County once endured. Someday, over a century in the future, the 10-year old’s grandchildren might be in Washington, DC honoring a man they never met. The memorial wall sits across the street from the museum. Row after row of names carved into limestone create a permanent record of service and sacrifice. You have to see it to understand the beauty and the solemnity; I hope you find the opportunity to do so someday. Every year at the candlelight vigil honoring the line-of-duty deaths from the prior year and historical deaths such as Deputy Nichols, thousands of people listen to the names read into the night. A bell tolls after each state’s list of names concludes. Speeches and musical tributes add dimension to the ceremony which culminates with thousands of candles piercing the darkness – the light a symbol of the personal love of immediate survivors and the enduring gratitude of the rest of us, who live protected by the thin blue line. If you are interested in learning more or donating to the NLEOMF, please go to https://nleomf.org/. Thank you. Previous Next

8158fa74-bd18-4543-a98a-8e572ab346db < Back MAN CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE COUNTS OF CHILD EXPLOITATION March 11, 2025 Hillsborough, NC (March 12, 2025) – Investigators with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office charged Joseph Mejer, 45, of Carrboro today with ten counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor, a Class E felony. After receiving an Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) tip, ICAC task force members began working this case in January 2025. Second-degree exploitation involves sharing material containing a visual representation of a minor engaged in sexual activity. Assisted by Special Agent Ray Oliver of the Computer Crimes Unit at the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, investigators served a search warrant on Mejer at his residence this morning. The magistrate placed him into the custody of the detention center under a $5,000.00 secured bond and set his first court appearance for 2:00 pm tomorrow afternoon. Investigator Gilchrist is the lead investigator, and more charges are possible. Anyone with information is asked to call him at (919) 245-2928. ### Previous Next 1/0

b597d397-ed99-42e6-98a3-8760d6791058 < Back BODY OF MISSING WOMAN LOCATED July 7, 2025 Hillsborough, NC (July 7, 2025)- Crews searching for a missing Person County woman found her body this afternoon at approximately 5:00 pm. The woman went missing while on her way to work last night in Orange County during the heavy rainfall from tropical storm Chantal. When Orange County deputies searched her vehicle early this morning, which they located on Wilkerson Road near Whitetail Run in the Cedar Grove community of Orange County, it was unoccupied. Search efforts continued throughout the day until members of the South Orange Rescue squad located the woman’s body this evening. Sheriff Charles Blackwood said, “Obviously, we hoped for a different outcome. We offer our deepest condolences to the victim’s family, friends, and colleagues at this terribly sad time, and we ask for people to give them privacy as they process this tragedy.” The woman’s name will be released at a later time. ### Previous Next 1/0

ea16fd67-1ea1-41c7-bfdf-92a9b6a7beee #72, Peelian Principles Guide May 28, 2025 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood 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. ### Previous Next

245c4b1a-c25f-43a8-9fc0-b04847226d42 #25, Troy Manns Recovery and Peer Support June 30, 2021 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood I first met Troy Manns at a Mental Health Legislative breakfast many years ago; he was the keynote speaker. Troy is a Peer Support Specialist, certified in Substance Disorders counseling. He is also a person in long term recovery from substance use; he therefore has critically important lived experiences. I introduced myself to him after hearing his inspiring story, and we then met on several other occasions. When voters first elected me Sheriff in 2014, Troy was the first person to come visit me in my new office. Troy had a vision, and he wanted me to see it, too. Working at the time at Freedom House, he was a liaison to the Orange County Recovery Courts. He kept seeing the same people return to the detention center. He felt certain we could reduce recidivism by providing substance use services to incarcerated people. Troy was right to come to me. As the Sheriff, I was now responsible for the safety and well-being of every person in Orange County, including those in the detention center and those attempting to adjust to life after incarceration. Obviously, it is in everyone’s interest if people can manage this transition without reoffending or resuming harmful substance use. Troy sold me on the importance of meeting people where they are and helping them move to a better place. With Troy’s guidance, my office partnered with the county’s Criminal Justice Resource Department (CJRD) and formed Foundations for Hope (F4H). F4H is an evidence-based model utilizing peer support to motivate recovery among inmates at the Orange County Detention Center who have substance use and/or mental health issues. Nationally recognized recovery materials are used to help inmates build their personal toolkits to use during times of stress and temptation. The goal is to equip participants with useful information, strengthen their decision-making skills, and provide them with support so that upon their release they are able to engage positively in the community and eliminate behaviors that could cause a repeat offense. Allison Zirkel, a licensed clinical social worker and addiction specialist, works with the CJRD. She screens interested male inmates for voluntary participation based on the following criteria: a diagnosed substance use disorder, a demonstrated commitment to recovery, a sentence or period of pretrial detention of more than 60 days, and the recommendation of Detention Center administrators. Since program inception, Ms. Zirkel has referred 53 people to F4H. If space allows, the inmate will ideally reside with other program participants in a designated cell block, and they attend twice weekly recovery group sessions. The program includes problem-solving workshops, wellness recovery training, relapse prevention, positive self-advocacy, motivational and mindfulness instruction, expressive art therapy, and introduction to outside supports. The introduction to outside supports is critical. Also known as a warm-handoff, such a practice increases the likelihood that people will follow up on referrals to available services. The barrier to entry is lower when the client already has a connection with someone on staff, knows where the office is, and has a plan to address logistics such as transportation. Reducing this type stress also minimizes the likelihood a program participant will sabotage his own success by finding a reason not to seek the services he so desperately needs. When a F4H participant is released, he receives a referral to the Josh’s Hope Foundation, which offers community supports and assistance with the transition back to community life. Some participants receive vocational training or internship opportunities, and ideally, all will continue in F4H community-based peer recovery support groups. During the post-release period, participants receive up to 12 months of reentry assistance and support. During this time, outcomes are recorded for program evaluation. Of course, COVID-19 altered service delivery. The detention center housed less people and representatives from outside organizations were not allowed into the facility. Mr. Manns also took a new job with Recovery Communities of North Carolina. Their mission is to promote addiction recovery, wellness and citizenship through advocacy, education, and support. However, he still serves the local community with his participation in the Local Re-entry Council, the Justice Advisory Council, and the Orange County Behavioral Task Force. As F4H gears back up, Troy’s influence is still felt in the local recovery community. I’m glad Troy was the first visitor to my new office. He helped me embrace his vision. We now provide recovery services while a person is in our facility and re-entry assistance when he leaves. These efforts have lasting impacts on the safety and well-being of every member of our community. Previous Next

a4b8202f-68cd-4168-8be6-1ed18e3bdfff #13, Body Worn Cameras June 24, 2020 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood We have recently experienced increased community interest in our use of body worn cameras, and I am glad to have this forum to tell you more about these important devices. We began our body worn camera (BWC) program a year ago. We purchased Motorola Remote Speaker Mic cameras. These combine a high resolution camera, microphone, and speaker into a compact device placed on a deputy’s chest. The cameras are approximately $880 apiece. However, like with a cellphone, the initial investment in equipment is small when compared with the ongoing costs. Storage space on cloud-based servers is particularly expensive, and we accumulated 3.35 terabytes of audio and video files in one year. A five year subscription for infrastructure services and the digital evidence management system is $230,625.00. We retain all video data for 120 days; however, after that period, not all of it may be deleted. Footage from a felony, such as a murder, may need to be retained for several years. The total cost of the program, including cameras, batteries, cables, chargers, adapters, and other accessories is $281,058.51. Unlike dashboard cameras, wired to turn on with the blue lights, a deputy must manually activate a BWC. The cameras constantly receive data; to conserve battery life, they only save data from 30 seconds prior to the time of activation. Saving data consumes a great deal of a battery’s capacity. In passive mode, a battery lasts approximately six hours. In active save mode, it lasts only two. Although each deputy receives two batteries and a car charger, a busy shift can easily deplete both. Deputies generally remember to activate their cameras. However, in emergent situations, they may forget or simply be unable to activate the camera as a matter of survival. Recently, a pit bull charged a deputy as he exited his vehicle. The deputy did not have time to turn his camera on before the dog attacked. Fortunately, the situation resolved with only minor injuries to the deputy and no injury to the dog. However, had the deputy needed to shoot the dog, the deputy would have needed to justify his actions AND explain why he did not record the encounter. Our policy specifies four situations when BWCs should be activated: all enforcement and investigative contacts, traffic stops, self-initiated activity requiring notification to Orange Central Communications, and any other situation that becomes adversarial although it would not otherwise require recording. Once a deputy activates the camera, it is to remain on until the deputy reasonably believes his or her direct participation in the event is complete, or the situation no longer meets the criterion for recording. Our policy considers the dignity and privacy concerns of the individuals being recorded. A deputy may discontinue recording when these concerns legitimately outweigh any law enforcement interest in the recording. I admit I had some initial resistance to body cameras, and not only because of the cost of the program. I feared morale might suffer if deputies perceived the program signaled a lack of trust, I thought it would take too much time to upload footage, and I worried activating the camera upon arrival at a complex and dangerous scene might cause distraction and delay. I am happy to report my skepticism was unwarranted. The cameras preserve visual and audio details of an interaction from the deputy’s point of view, which is different from the angle of bystander cell phone video. Numerous times, the recordings have provided irrefutable proof that deputies treat people respectfully and follow agency policy despite danger, chaotic scenes, and verbal abuse. If, however, a recording were to support a complaint, it would be invaluable material to guide decisions about whether the matter was one best addressed through additional training, or if disciplinary action or termination were warranted. In similar fashion, the cameras are useful as part of our field training program. A supervisor is able to hold “film sessions” with a trainee much like a coach does with his or her players. The recordings also provide protection against frivolous and malicious complaints. I appreciate and specifically want to thank County Commissioner Mark Dorosin for being so persistent and convincing me to move forward with the BWC initiative. The unbiased view from the camera has repeatedly provided opportunities to settle disputes where one person’s word differs from the other’s. Deputies now welcome the power of video; they have seen it refute dishonest or embellished reports of their actions. They also recognize the cameras document the professionalism with which they approach their duties. If you see my deputies in the community, feel free to talk to them about our BWC program, and as always, call me if you have questions or concerns. Previous Next