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f8cd7fcc-bc95-4a98-9399-546a47cb7b3d < Back DEPUTIES INVESTIGATING DEATH May 17, 2025 Hillsborough, NC (May 17, 2025)- Deputies with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office responded to Hawk Ridge Road at approximately 2 pm this afternoon after a person walking a dog found human remains. With the assistance of the medical examiner, investigators will work to identify the decedent and circumstances surrounding his or her death. Hawk Ridge Road is off Dodsons Crossroad in the southern part of the county just north of Highway 54. Anyone with any information is asked to call Sergeant K. Goodwin, the lead investigator, at (919) 245-2918. There are no additional details to report at this time; more information will be provided as it becomes available. ### Previous Next OCSO NEWS RELEASE-standard_edited.jpg OCSO NEWS RELEASE-standard_edited.jpg 1/1

cb7fcad9-3d82-4eba-8dbd-305e33783441 #70, Parallels of Courage with Special Olympics March 26, 2025 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Spearheaded by the long-time advocacy and hard work of Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Joseph P. Kennedy Jr. Foundation and the Chicago Park District organized the first Special Olympics Summer Games for people with intellectual disabilities in July 1968. Approximately 1,000 athletes participated. Five million people now participate annually in competitions across the globe. In fact, three athletes from North Carolina returned earlier this month from the Winter Games in Turin, Italy. Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) is one of the largest Special Olympics programs in the world, providing more than 40,000 athletes year-round opportunities to participate, train, and compete in more than two dozen sports. In May, the SONC will hold the Summer Games at venues in Cary, Holly Springs, and Raleigh, with over 1,300 competitors. Registered athletes participate in Special Olympics free of charge. They do not pay for uniforms, awards, facility usage, transportation, or training fees. Many fundraising efforts make participation possible, and I want to highlight the important contribution of law enforcement officers, starting with the well-known Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR). The LETR began in 1981 when six police officers in Wichita, Kansas raised $300.00 carrying what is now known as the Flame of Hope. Three years later, the International Chiefs of Police endorsed Special Olympics as their official charity. Law enforcement officers from federal, state, county, local, tribal, and military agencies have since raised more than one billion dollars, all while increasing awareness of the capabilities and achievements of participants. I participated in the torch run three times earlier in my career. Today, the Law Enforcement Torch Run is nearly as synonymous with Special Olympics as cookie sales are with Girl Scouts. Locally, our torch run raises money primarily through T-shirt sales. Officials will announce the date for this year’s local event soon. I recently read an article by Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department Captain Ernest Bille, who attended the International LETR conference in November 2024. In it, he discussed the Special Olympic Athletes’ Oath which participants recite before every competition: “Let me win. But if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.” Within its simplicity, a law enforcement officer can find profound meaning and draw analogies between the principles of competition and the ideals and values of our profession. Captain Bille began by defining what winning means to a deputy or officer. We strive to return home safely after each shift while also behaving with integrity, serving with courage, treating others with professionalism, and protecting our communities. He then examined the “But if I cannot win…” portion of the oath, which hints at the challenges law enforcement professionals face. We encounter persistent societal issues. Routinely, we face the dark and grim realities of violence, mental illness, death, and addiction. As Captain Bille notes, “…we establish and hold the line – we don’t cross it,” no matter the level of frustration, the challenging actions of others, or our frequent inability to fix the entrenched problems of those who seek our help. Even when we cannot achieve our desired outcome, we can still “win” by behaving ethically. In the oath’s conclusion, “…let me be brave in the attempt,” we hear a plea for the strength to approach our duties with the same idealism that originally called us to service. Noble intentions can waver when battered by stress, emotional strain, and the risk of injury or death. I have written previously about the toll critical incidents take on deputies. Most people have two or three such exposures in a lifetime; law enforcement officers have 18 PER YEAR. We see a tremendous amount of trauma in our work. It takes courage to put oneself out there again and again without developing a jaded perspective or a calloused heart. Athletes with intellectual disabilities demonstrate optimism and perseverance despite numerous challenges. In our own way, law enforcement professionals do the same. Captain Bille seems to suggest these parallels explain why we are so passionate about fundraising for Special Olympians: we are inspired by their resiliency and salute their courage. In Orange County, we also participate in other Special Olympic fundraising efforts. In April, we have a seven-person team competing at RDU Airport in a Pull the Plane competition. Which agency’s team can move a 50,000-pound plane 25 feet in the shortest time? In October, we hold a golf tournament, and there are rumors about a polar plunge next winter. Please watch for these opportunities to support Special Olympians or go to sonc.net to donate. Thank you. ### Previous Next

8234b8ca-418c-4940-843b-e1ddb55514b9 #53, Grant Addresses Need (Mental Health and Suicide Prevention) October 25, 2023 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Although September is recognized as Suicide Prevention month, I would like to encourage our community to continue the conversation all year. Mental illness is treatable, and suicide is preventable, but we must keep talking and work to remove lingering stigma. As I’ve discussed in this column, deputies respond to many calls that are not about enforcing the law or keeping the peace. The proportion of calls involving a mental health crisis seems to increase each year, and the stresses of the pandemic only exacerbated this trend. Over the years, the mental health system in our state has all but collapsed, and at present, we are the professionals most readily available to step into the service chasm. Generally, mental health clinicians do not see people in the field during a crisis. They are usually hospital or clinic based, charge for their services, and have limited night and weekend availability. On the other hand, we respond to such calls because we have a highly efficient dispatch system, don’t bill for services, and are available 24/7/365. Even with skills learned in crisis intervention and mental health first-aid training, a deputy’s tools and solutions are geared primarily toward resolving a crisis as quickly as possible and answering the next call. Furthermore, rotating schedules preclude us from offering any meaningful follow-up. Anyone in the throes of a mental health crisis, especially if that person is suicidal, needs a specially trained clinician and more comprehensive services than law enforcement officers can provide. I don’t know anyone who believes our state’s mental health system is adequate. We don’t have a regional system, let alone the desperately needed county-level resources. That said, I am very pleased the Division of Mental Health, Developmental Disabilities, and Substance Abuse Services within the NC Department of Health and Human Services awarded Orange County a grant to form a Community Care and Diversion Response team. The Orange County Criminal Justice Resource Department will administer the program, which includes placing a social worker in my office and one each in the Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough Police Departments. These professionals will work under the supervision of a Mental Health Diversion Coordinator and collaborate with a clinician and a peer support specialist based at Chapel Hill’s Freedom House Recovery Center. The primary purpose of the Community Care team is to divert individuals with serious mental illness away from the criminal courts and into a system where they can receive treatment, peer support, and case management. But I have no doubt that this program will also be an invaluable tool for those in our community experiencing thoughts of suicide. These individuals deserve more than a ride to the hospital in a marked patrol vehicle and maybe a phone number to a crisis line. Suicide is often a result of emotional pain and despair, and people considering this permanent solution to such problems often feel isolated and hopeless. It is crucial that people have access to mental health treatment and supportive services; deputies will now be able to make a warm hand-off to a trained clinician who can develop an individualized treatment/service plan with their clients, provide up to 90 days of case management service, and make referrals to a dedicated clinical and peer support specialist. The Community Care team will also provide training about trauma-informed mental health interventions to law enforcement officers, allowing them to approach those experiencing suicidal thoughts or other mental health crises with greater awareness, improved communication, and increased consistency. I am also hopeful this program will help deputies and police officers in another way. It is well-known that law enforcement officers have increased exposure to critical incidents - an event that creates a significant risk of substantial harm to the physical or mental health of those involved. Most people experience an estimated two to three critical incidents in a lifetime; law enforcement officers have 18 such exposures ANNUALLY. Responding to a call where a deputy is trying to prevent the suicide of a person, or managing the aftermath of such a death IS a critical incident. I expect the existence of Community Care Team clinicians will mitigate the trauma law enforcement officers feel when responding to such calls because they will have actual resources to offer. Less stressed officers are more effective at their work and better able to cope with psychological harm caused by critical incidents they experience. In other words, the Community Care program will expand the assistance available to those experiencing a mental health crisis and those responding to one. Previous Next

5e975b5b-ef7a-44df-bcf0-f113b8351361 #35, New Detention Facility April 27, 2022 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Last month, we moved all detention operations into our new facility on Highway 70 West. Our old site opened in 1925 with capacity for 34 people. Despite adding an annex in 1994 and renovating the kitchen in 2012, the 97-year-old facility was decades behind modern standards. Detention Officer Lisa Thompson characterized the move as the beginning of a new era. She said, “I’ve worked here for 20 years. When I was hired, they were talking about a new jail. It is so nice to finally have one.” For years, state inspectors with the NC Department of Health and Human Services cited us for multiple inadequacies. We weren’t passing inspections – in our obsolete facility, we couldn’t. Our kitchen, medical, and laundry facilities were insufficient, and in many cases either impossible or inordinately expensive to repair. Here’s just one example: a shower drain stopped working two or three years ago – a simple clog. After digging up the floor, we learned the cast iron pipe around the drain pipe had disintegrated. For a time, water was still able to pass through the concrete channel around the pipe, but eventually that failed as well. That “simple” drain problem cost $25,000 to fix. We also had numerous safety concerns, such as an inadequate suicide prevention cell and no sprinkler system. The cost to retrofit the jail with sprinklers? Almost two million dollars! Recognizing the momentous – and rare – nature of the occasion, we called the operational plan governing community safety during the move “Blue Moon.” With help from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol and a State Bureau of Investigation task force, we moved 70 inmates from the old facility to the new one in a process that took over five hours and involved more than 80 people. We searched each person as they exited the old jail and again as they entered the new one. We also checked each person’s belongings for contraband before separately shuttling property to the new facility. Captain Katie Spear said we didn’t just move; we walked out of one dimension and into another. She is correct. The company that made the gates, keys, and locking mechanisms for the old facility has been out of business for years. We had difficulty finding anyone capable of making repairs. The new building has a state-of-the art electronic system. No one needs to walk around with rings of old style keys, fumbling to find the right one. Major Tim Jones is our Jail Administrator. He has noticed a drastically improved work flow in the new space. Detention officers seated at a centralized control tower open and shut electronic doors from a video console as other officers accompany residents to different parts of the building, such as to the medical area or to the attorney visitation booths. The new 48,900-square-foot facility has space for 144 inmates. We can now better serve their safety, security, and human service needs. We have a properly equipped kitchen, a larger laundry room, a better medical facility, a break room for employees, and adequate storage. Major Jones will have a supervisors meeting after all four squads rotate through day and night shift duty. At the meeting, he will collect observations and create a work flow punch list to improve our ability to maximize the modern capabilities of the facility. There are two workrooms within the secure part of the building. Community professionals and staff members from the Criminal Justice Resource Department will use these rooms to provide education and specialized programming designed to help residents of the facility make a successful transition back to the community. We are also pleased to have tablets available for inmate use. These devices allow video visits and text exchanges with loved ones; all such visits and communications are monitored. Although residents do not have access to the internet other than through the Paytel service, if a person takes an online anger management or drug education class, he or she can earn points toward watching a movie or playing an approved video game. There’s no way to sugarcoat it; the old facility was rough. Everyone associated with the new facility benefits from the improved air quality and the brighter, less cramped space. People confined there now live in a cleaner, more modern facility better suited to their often complicated needs; and the safer, brighter facility certainly boosts employee morale. We dreamed about this new detention center for two decades. Captain Spear said it best: “It feels like we went from a T-Rex to a Tesla.” Previous Next

6ba627be-4cca-4d68-a73e-8c5983243d8d #77, Specialized IPC Training Yields Results October 29, 2025 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood 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. Previous Next

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

9b4761a8-37de-4192-a1e1-6a85a2fa845d #74, Storm Recovery July 30, 2025 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood 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! Previous Next

cd5b5eaa-c638-41e3-a123-e9c14885ba7e #66, Shop with the Sheriff November 27, 2024 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Fun fact: Thanksgiving is tomorrow, and November 28 is the latest day upon which the holiday can fall. By the time the weekend is over, it will be December. Therefore, now is the perfect time to share one of my favorite holiday traditions – Shop with the Sheriff – which is December 6 this year. This annual event is a major undertaking at our office. It requires energy, dedication, and enthusiasm to pull off. We start by partnering with social workers at Orange County elementary schools. They identify approximately 25 children whose family’s circumstances make holiday celebrations particularly challenging. Most commonly, those factors are financial, but the selection process is not one-dimensional. The social workers also consider students for whom community support and a joyous morning might provide respite from other negative factors influencing their childhoods. Chief Deputy Tina Sykes puts her heart and soul into making Shop with the Sheriff a success. She will tell you that it is, by far, the most rewarding day of the year. I asked her why she loves it so much, and she said, “It’s the look on their faces when we pick them up. It is pure joy. Just for a little bit, it is all about them, and they can be distracted from whatever it is that makes their lives difficult.” Bus driver Kay McPherson sets the tone. As the students board the bus at each school, she tells them to pretend she is driving Santa’s sleigh. She points to the patrol cars and motorcycles waiting in front of the bus and compares them to reindeer clearing the path. The kids love watching the escort vehicles as they stop traffic to let the bus proceed unimpeded to the next stop, and eventually to Wal-Mart, which we refer to as the North Pole. Once they arrive, I climb on the bus to greet the kids and pump them up even more. I want them to know how excited we are to spend the next few hours with them. As each student steps off the bus, a detention officer, deputy, staff member, or volunteer greets them, armed with a list of that child’s clothing sizes and general interests. During the ensuing shopping experience, students can purchase whatever they want up to the spending limit. Some race around and select their items within 10 minutes. Others are more discerning. They proceed slowly, carefully considering costs and making deliberate choices. It never fails that at least one child will purchase presents for parents or siblings instead of buying gifts for him or herself. One year, a group of kids who recently arrived in North Carolina from a warmer climate only wanted to buy clothes and boots suitable for winter. And poignantly, some children ask if they can purchase groceries. As you might imagine, requests like the ones I am describing really yank our heartstrings. We shop in advance and purchase an outfit, jacket, gloves, and a hat for each participant. Additionally, generous businesses donate restaurant gift cards and practical items like toothbrushes and toothpaste. Most of the credit for sourcing these extra surprises goes to First Lieutenant Daniel Roberson who leads our Community Services Division. He builds relationships throughout the year and helps people understand how necessary widespread support is to the success of this initiative. The management team at Wal-Mart pulls out all the stops. The staff clearly enjoys the bedlam, extra cashiers work dedicated checkout lines for us, and we have permission to take over the employee breakroom for a pizza-party. While we celebrate with the kids, volunteers pack the gifts into Santa’s giant red gift bags for transportation back to the schools where parents pick them up. As we run around the store, other shoppers stop and stare, and no one seems annoyed by the chaos. Every year, some shoppers press cash into our hands or ask how they can donate. Fortunately, that process is easy. The Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Organization, a 501(c)(3) organization, accepts tax-deductible contributions throughout the year to sponsor such initiatives. They also host fundraisers like the spring Chicken Pickin’ and the Hog Day roasted corn sale. We are grateful for their support. We always get back more than we give as the children reward us with smiles, hugs, and silliness. If you need an hour or so of holiday cheer, come witness the fun at the Hampton Pointe Wal-Mart on December 6! If you can’t make it, get in the spirit by viewing photographs on our app and Facebook page. ### Previous Next

6bbd3ca3-cdb3-418f-a0b6-963f4811a3af #37, Trauma Kits June 29, 2022 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Physical trauma is the leading cause of death for people aged one through 46, and it accounts for 30% of all deaths. Many traumatic injuries can cause death within three to six minutes. However, on average, emergency medical service providers arrive on scene between seven and 14 minutes after the trauma occurs. When seconds matter, this delay represents a dangerous gap. Deputies usually arrive to a scene first, but even when the ambulance reaches the scene before deputies, medical providers cannot begin to render aid until law enforcement officers mitigate the danger, control traffic hazards, or conduct a security sweep of the premises. Deputies receive CPR and first aid training during a week-long block of instruction during Basic Law Enforcement Training. Although reasonably comprehensive, this education does not begin to compare to the training, experience, and equipment paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMT) bring to a scene. Until last month, deputies arrived at a scene with a rapid response first aid kit. This compact, lightweight kit is likely better than the first aid supplies most community members have in their residences or vehicles, but at a cost of less than $65.00, it pales in comparison to the skills of a paramedic or EMT and the supplies onboard an ambulance! I wanted to increase the quality of medical care deputies could provide to victims while they waited for more comprehensively trained people with better equipment to arrive on scene. Therefore, I recently purchased 31 portable trauma and emergency medical response kits from Zoll Medical. Called Mobilize kits, these have an Android tablet built-in to the lid of the carrying case. The tablet is preloaded with an instructional rescue app that launches when someone lifts the lid. The kits also have medical supplies clearly labeled, logically organized, and color-coded to match the instructions in the rescue app. In other words, the Mobilize kits are designed to fill the gap between the occurrence of the trauma and the arrival of advanced emergency medical personnel. The kit and the onboard app help deputies and even bystanders with no training at all assess, manage, and monitor medical emergencies, potentially providing lifesaving care. The faster care can be provided, the better the chance of a successful outcome. I am pleased to report that Corporal Doug Moats successfully saved a life during the week he first took possession of a Mobilize kit. He responded to a shots fired call and found a victim with multiple gunshot wounds, including two sucking chest wounds (one with an exit wound) and severe facial trauma. Moats placed three chest seals on the victim, and properly managed the facial injuries until emergency medical providers arrived several minutes later. While treating the victim, Moats realized another benefit of the kit. With his level of prior training (which is greater than most of my deputies have), he was able to use the kit as a well-stocked supply cabinet; he did not need to follow the instructions from the app. Had there been an additional victim, an untrained family member or bystander could have simultaneously rendered care to that person by following the step-by-step assessment questions and treatment instructions embedded in the app; these use protocols and best practices as set by the American Heart Association, Tactical Emergency Casualty Care, and the American College of Surgeons. In other words, the kit is useful to people almost without regard to the level of knowledge they bring to the emergency. Reflecting on the experience, Deputy Moats related that people keep telling him he saved a life, but he does not feel his efforts were anything extraordinary. Although the hospital trauma doctor told the paramedic supervisor the chest seals Moats placed saved the victim’s life, Moats explained that having those seals quite literally at his fingertips is what made the save possible. Every deputy on patrol will eventually have the Mobilize system in his or her vehicle and we are purchasing 14 more kits to put in other strategic areas throughout the county. We will familiarize other first responders and the leaders of area businesses and non-profits with information about the kits and their locations. The kits are so intuitive, an 8th grader can use them, rendering care and providing a trauma victim with the precious time he or she needs need to survive until emergency medical service providers arrive. I am confident these kits will continue to save lives. Please come by the office if you would like to familiarize yourself with a Mobilize trauma kit. Previous Next

1f34153c-c24a-45aa-9a73-621805a7b07f < Back MAN FACES DRUG TRAFFICKING AND RELATED CHARGES March 2, 2026 Hillsborough, NC (March 2, 2025) – A deputy with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on Saturday, February 28, 2026. After searching the vehicle, he charged 48-year-old David Anthony Evans, of Hillsborough, with multiple drug related offenses, including trafficking cocaine. The deputy initially stopped the car because he learned the license plate was revoked and he suspected that the driver may not be properly insured. After running the driver’s operator license through a database, learning his history of prior drug convictions, and smelling the odor of green marijuana coming from the car, the deputy began a probable cause search. He located 81 grams of marijuana in the passenger compartment, and more than 190 grams of cocaine in the trunk. On scene, the deputy issued a written warning for operating a motor vehicle without insurance. He then transported Evans to the magistrate’s office, where he formally charged him with the following felonies: trafficking cocaine, possession with the intent to sell and deliver cocaine, possession of cocaine, possession with the intent to sell and deliver marijuana, possession of marijuana, and maintaining a vehicle for the manufacture, sale, or delivery of a controlled substance. Evans also faces one count of misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. The magistrate remanded him to the Detention Center under no bond, given the seriousness of the charges. At the defendant’s first appearance today, the district court judge set a secured bond of $100,000 for Evans. Currently, he remains in custody. Previous Next 1/0

f17dc9e6-ada1-48ed-8f6a-d9366c631115 < Back ADDITIONAL CHARGE FILED IN ROAD RAGE CASE October 10, 2025 Hillsborough, NC (October 10, 2025)- Last night, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office (OCSO) swore out a warrant against Samantha Russo for discharge firearm within enclosure to incite fear. When the warrant was served this evening, an Orange County Magistrate set a $10,000.00 secured bond for the defendant on this Class F felony. The charge stemmed from a road rage incident that occurred Sunday night, October 5, 2025. After receiving a 911 call, deputies pulled over the vehicle in which Russo, 36, was travelling. At the time of the traffic stop on Lebanon Road in Efland, deputies charged Russo with assault by pointing a firearm and seized the gun. OCSO officers also cited Nicholas Howle, 37, with aggressive driving and driving with an open container. Russo and Howle both live in Efland. The victims in the case reported that a red Honda Civic drove aggressively, passed them in a no-passing zone, and then cut back into their lane of travel. Then, the Civic stopped and Russo got out of the car and pointed a weapon at the passenger side of the victims’ vehicle before getting back into the car. As Howle resumed driving, the witnesses said Russo pointed the weapon out the window, toward the sky, and fired it twice. Prior to taking out the charges Sunday night, deputies reviewed relevant statutes and consulted with their supervisor. Because Russo did not fire the gun directly at a person, discharge the weapon into the victims’ car or dwelling place, or cause physical injury to anyone, deputies did not think they had probable cause to swear out a felony charge. On Monday morning, as is standard practice in complicated cases, investigators and administrators, including the sheriff’s legal advisor, continued to review the facts and circumstances of the traffic stop. The legal advisor found a recent North Carolina Court of Appeals ruling from August 2025, where the court analyzed the language of General Statutes § 14-34.10. In this case of first impression, the Court dedicated 14 pages of its decision to determining the meaning of the singular word ‘within’ that appears in the statute. The Court employed ordinary rules of grammar and canons of statutory interpretation and held that this statute requires that only the “person who willfully . . . discharges a firearm” with the intent to incite fear in another be within one’s own vehicle. (Their analysis ruled out alternate interpretations such as requiring both the person discharging the firearm and the victim be within the same occupied vehicle. The Court also rejected the assertion that this statute requires discharging a weapon into an occupied vehicle or building.) Investigators consulted with the District Attorney’s office, and the DA supported adding the felony charge. Sheriff Charles Blackwood said, “I believe my deputies tried earnestly to do the right thing Sunday night. They spoke with all parties, collected evidence, and consulted with their supervisors to identify charges appropriate to the facts. It is not standard practice for deputies to take out misdemeanor charges for crimes that happen outside their presence; however, given the seriousness of the situation, they issued citations to compel the defendants to court. Still, I offer my apology to the victims in this case, as I understand their feeling that misdemeanor charges did not match the fear and trauma they experienced. I hope they take comfort that my staff and I did not stop after serving the citations. On Monday, we engaged our investigators, involved our attorney, identified a possibly applicable felony charge, and sought the District Attorney’s support. I hope these actions demonstrate that we take road rage situations very seriously.” Russo is still in custody as of 6:45 pm; and her court date is Monday at 2:00 pm. ### Previous Next 1/0

9e27dee2-07cb-49a0-8fdb-d6088e70f68c #30, Missing People November 24, 2021 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Missing person cases typically involve people who run away, wander off, get lost, or deliberately disappear. We rarely work a true abduction or kidnapping case, but such a situation is always possible. People should call 911 immediately if they discover a loved one missing. It is a myth that a person must be missing for 24 hours before deputies will take a report. Call immediately, and let us get started. We appreciate the interest our missing person cases receive, especially on social media. People share our posts, helping them reach a wider audience, and resulting in a greater number of people looking. However, a social media audience tends to question, speculate, and make inappropriate requests, such as pressuring us to put out an Amber alert, even if the case clearly does not qualify for one. If we respond to these posts to educate and reassure people, we are distracted from the more important task of locating the missing person. We rarely reveal information about a missing person case beyond providing a physical description and a very broad statement, such as “Deputies are concerned for Person’s name well-being.” If the person has dementia or is suicidal, he or she is entitled to medical privacy. If a person “snapped” under the weight of personal pressures, publically discussing those will do nothing to lessen that burden. A description of the person aids efforts to locate him or her; highly sensitive information does not. Any press release or social media post will remain on the Internet for all time. We want to minimize the impact of the crisis on the person’s future social relationships, employment opportunities, or political aspirations. The person’s current and long term well-being are more important than the curiosity of strangers. Sometimes we receive suggestions in the comments on Facebook. People tell us to ask other jurisdictions to look for the license plate, check find my phone apps, alert the media, contact friends, or check the hospitals. Let me assure readers – these are all things we routinely do, and they are only the tip of the iceberg. This is not our first rodeo! In one recent case, we had several convincing indicators the missing person voluntarily left his or her last known location in a vehicle. Multiple people wanted to know why we weren’t organizing a search party. What would that look like? Where would we start? On the ground grid searches certainly have their place; such as when a person with dementia wanders away from home on foot, when a small child slips away, or when a hiker gets lost in the woods. Those cases have a starting point, and we can establish reasonable search parameters. We do not have these in a runaway-type case, especially when the person has a vehicle. We have three primary databases at our disposal. We always enter the missing person into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), a system used by more than 80,000 agencies. If the person comes into contact with a law enforcement officer, a simple check will reveal the person’s status as missing and provide information about who to contact. This database is useful if the person ends up unconscious, at a hospital, in a car wreck, or if they surface asking for help. Once entered into NCIC, there are two types of specialty alerts the investigating agency can pursue. Silver Alerts are used for missing and endangered people over age 65, or for a person with mental or cognitive disabilities (regardless of age) which place them at increased risk of harm. Amber Alerts are issued only when a person 17 years old or younger is believed to have been abducted and is not thought to be a runaway. The abduction must have been reported to and investigated by a law enforcement agency. Such alerts are issued only by the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons – we cannot issue one. If we apply and the case does not qualify, the application is immediately rejected, and we might see our credibility suffer – making it harder to justify future requests. Amber Alerts, by law, are only used in the rare cases that qualify for them. If they are overused, people will not give them the urgent attention they deserve. If you need help finding a missing person, call us immediately. Tell us everything you know; we will protect sensitive information. Help us publicize the person’s description. Understand what Amber and Silver alerts are, and trust us to use them when appropriate. Previous Next