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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

5b7a433e-bb35-4a1b-ae79-36303b6ffc1d #22, Bail Reform Part 3, Reform Initiatives March 31, 2021 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood In January, I reviewed the criminal processes used to compel defendants to appear in court. Last month, I discussed the initial appearance hearing during which a magistrate sets conditions of pretrial release. In this final installment of the three-part series, I review current reform efforts aimed at making the Orange County bail policy fair and equitable. Our criminal justice system holds a defendant is innocent until proven guilty; therefore, punishment is not supposed to begin until conviction. The purpose of bail is solely to ensure the accused’s appearance in court; no one should be held in jail simply because they are unable to afford bail. Such a practice would unfairly advantage wealthy defendants and essentially criminalize poverty. Unless the accused poses a threat to public safety, is likely to destroy evidence or intimidate witnesses, or seems likely to flee, he or she is entitled to freedom until convicted by the court system. Of the criminal processes used to compel someone to court, citations and criminal summonses do not require arrest, thereby automatically removing pre-trial incarceration from the equation. We encourage deputies to use a citation in lieu of arrest when possible, effectively placing the matter into the court system without depriving the accused of his or her liberty. Likewise, when magistrates hear testimony about an alleged crime, they are encouraged to use the least restrictive method to compel the defendant to answer to the charges. A criminal summons accomplishes this objective without requiring the defendant’s arrest, and is therefore preferable to a warrant. In cases where a person is arrested and brought before a magistrate, Orange County implemented the use of a Magistrate’s Structured Decision Making Tool in October 2020, making it the ninth county in North Carolina to adopt such a reform. Stakeholders designed the tool to prevent low-risk individuals from being incarcerated simply because they receive a bail amount beyond their financial means. Judicial District 30B (Haywood and Jackson counties) was the first to use such a tool; there, the percentage of cases receiving a pre-trial condition other than a secured bond increased 43.79%. Concurrently, the number of defendants incurring a new criminal charge during the pre-trial period increased by only 1.1% and the number of defendants failing to appear in court increased by only 1-2 percentage points over the levels seen before stakeholders introduced the tool. Additionally, the tool increases decision-making consistency across magistrates, provides necessary documentation for the next level of judicial review, and preserves magistrate discretion. Another cornerstone of bail reform is the county-funded Pretrial Services program, established in 2016. A case manager from Pretrial Services meets with each newly detained individual in the Detention Center to compile and verify information for judicial officials to use at the initial appearance hearing as they review bail and other pre-trail release conditions set by the magistrate. The case manager uses the Virginia Pretrial Risk Assessment – Revised. This assessment helps determine if a person can be released until the court date without supervision, or which of the four supervision levels will allow for safe management in the community. In many ways, pre-trial supervision resembles probation. Although supervision reduces a person’s individual liberty, it is far less restrictive than confinement in jail, and it seeks to balance the individual’s liberty interests against the community’s right to protection. Orange County is also investing in a more nuanced approach to responding to defendants charged with misdemeanors who fail to appear in court. Rather than the imposition of a mandatory secured bond and the resulting incarceration if a defendant cannot pay, as of January 19 of this year, the system attempts to provide a “second chance” to those missing a court date for the first time. A decision-making flowchart considers whether the failure to appear occurred because of work obligations, lack of transportation, childcare responsibilities, or lack of notice from the court. I am the vice chair of the Governor’s Crime Commission, and I serve on a subcommittee tasked with studying best practices for bail reform. We are dedicated to reviewing and improving the entire process rather than mindlessly continuing decades’ old practices. As a bonus, data show that many of these reforms are cost effective for tax payers – it is more expensive to keep people in custody than to monitor them in the community. We have a moral imperative to create fair, safe, and equitable processes that refuse to perpetuate a legacy of disparate treatment based on race or income level. Previous Next

6d091ef0-aeb1-4feb-9237-ec74f447a22c #15, Anatomy of a 911 Call August 26, 2020 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood When in need of immediate assistance for themselves or someone else, people call 911, and in that moment, they are the most important person in the crisis. The caller possesses the information necessary for an appropriate emergency response. However, the time it takes for help to arrive can seem like an eternity, and callers are frequently frustrated by the dispatcher’s questioning. It is common for a telecommunicator to hear, “Why are you asking this? Just send someone!” Emergency Services Director, Dinah Jeffries, and Kevin Medlin, Communications Operations Manager, assisted me with this installment of The Lowdown to provide the anatomy of a 911 call. The Orange County 9-1-1 Communications Division (AKA Communications) serves my office and the Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Hillsborough police departments. They also dispatch all calls for Emergency Medical Services and county fire services, answering 6,724 calls monthly. Some of these are duplicative, such as multiple motorists reporting the same traffic crash. Perhaps surprisingly, telecommunicators are involved in the dispatch of 9,399 calls – 2,675 more calls than they answer! Alarm calls, traffic stops, and officer-initiated activities account for this discrepancy. Examples of the latter include an officer assisting a stranded motorist or notifying dispatch about a suspicious condition. All calls are answered with: “911. What is the location of your emergency?” Seventy percent of calls originate from mobile devices. Unlike landlines, mobile devices only provide a caller’s general location. Additionally, people often call 911 to report an emergency occurring somewhere else. Thus, initially, the location is even more important than the nature of the problem. If the call drops, the caller loses consciousness, or otherwise becomes unable to communicate; the call-taker at least knows where to send help. Once location is established, the telecommunicator continually assesses the situation through additional questions. Frequently, callers do not realize a telecommunicator is simultaneously dispatching units to the appropriate location. Some 911 agencies have dedicated call-takers and dedicated dispatchers. Our telecommunicators handle both responsibilities, dispatching emergency units an average of two minutes and five seconds after answering the phone. Urgent calls, however, are generally dispatched more quickly. The average is skewed by calls that do not require an immediate response. For example, if a caller reports a belated break- in and the area car is busy, 911 will appropriately delay dispatching the call until an officer becomes available. Telecommunicators use the information they receive to efficiently manage or mitigate emergencies until units arrive. Perhaps they tell the caller to secure a dog or unlock a door. Often they keep the caller calm or move her to safety. Telecommunicators are trained to guide a caller through crisis situations using structured processes and procedures and to continually gather information to assist responding units as they prepare for the situation. The array of information telecommunicators assess, troubleshoot, and impart is staggering; it can literally be the difference between life and death. In addition to emergency calls, Communications handles 9,355 administrative calls monthly. These include responding to 911 hang ups, working with alarm companies, and providing details emergency responders need for their reports. Locally, a minimum of six telecommunicators work each shift. They sit at consoles with multiple computer monitors including one each for the phone and radio. Additional monitors connect to the Division of Criminal Information network and the Computer Aided Dispatch system (CAD), the front end of a database. CAD displays any known information about the location and nature of a call, and it receives information as the call progresses. Telecommunicators routinely multitask their way through adrenaline pumping situations, but their involvement generally ends abruptly when responding units clear the scene. Not knowing the final outcome of a call tends to be difficult and stressful. However, for the right people, telecommunicating becomes a career and a calling; it provides camaraderie, opportunities for advancement, and the satisfaction inherent in helping others. Candidates must be at least 18 years old with prior customer service experience. Before being hired, they are tested with the Criticall system which evaluates decision making, multi-tasking, data entry, map reading, and other job-related skills. Candidates must also pass a physical and a psychological examination. Those hired enter a nine-month training academy, sponsored by my office. Once certified by the Sheriff’s Education and Standards Commission, they receive at least three months of on-the-job training. The job requires commitment. Telecommunicators are truly special people who serve the county in a remarkable and generally invisible way. I want to recognize Director Dinah Jeffries who will retire in December after 37 years of service. She also served the state through NC NENA (National Emergency Number Association) and NC APCO (Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials), including serving as president of each group. She has been a driving force for telecommunicator training both locally and across the state. It is no exaggeration to say her leadership has made ALL communities safer. 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

86d92643-c848-48e1-926e-56e0f2a4f2e7 #10, Coronavirus and the OCSO April 15, 2020 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood I have heard people question whether the national response to the COVID-19 pandemic is too extreme. In this emergency edition of The Lowdown, I’ll discuss why leaders are responding the way we are from a macro perspective, and then I’ll focus specifically on the response of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. Many people who contract the virus only become mildly ill. Although healthy young people can die from Covid-19, statistically, they are far more likely to survive. Those with underlying medical conditions, compromised immune systems, and those who are over 65, however, are at far greater risk. Here is a short but sobering look at the numbers. The United States’ population is approximately 330 million. Assuming 20% contract the virus (a conservative estimate); we will have 66 million sick people. If only 1% of those people die, America will have 660,000 fatalities. Most of those will be our elders, and those who are medically vulnerable. If 60% of our population contracts the virus, 198 million people will get sick, and almost two million will die. Our medical system cannot meet that kind of demand. Social distancing slows the rate at which people become sick; in other words, it flattens the curve and allows medical systems to respond to the influx of patients over a longer period of time. Even if the overall number of people who eventually get the virus does not change, if those people get sick across a longer period of time instead of all at once, we create less demand at any one time on critical – and limited - resources. It is tragic that people will die. It is unconscionable that some will die simply because they needed a hospital bed or a ventilator and there weren’t any available because people were unwilling to stay home for a few weeks to slow the spread of this illness. So, NO, I don’t think strict social distancing is too extreme. As Sheriff, my job is to care about the health and safety of everyone in Orange County – not just young, healthy people. I am not willing to tell at-risk people they are worth anything less than the best efforts of this community. Even if those efforts are inconvenient, uncomfortable, expensive, or – dare I say it – boring, we must accept that we all have an individual responsibility to act in the best interest of others. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office will continue to provide essential services. However, we have taken appropriate steps to restructure our service delivery. I am responsible for the Detention Center, including the safety of the inmates who are detained there and the staff who care for them. All incoming detainees will initially stay in one of the two negative pressure rooms we have created. Once we are sure the newcomers are not sick, only then will they transfer into general population. Additionally, we followed professional recommendations and installed multiple air scrubbers with HEPA filtration in the detention center. Not only do these scrubbers reduce particulate matter and airborne viruses, they significantly improve air quality in the facility. Health protocols have been reviewed with detention center staff. Employees who do not feel well or have had a known exposure to an infected person must stay home. Visitation with inmates has been canceled for at least two weeks. Procedures are in place for emergency legal visits or other dire circumstances such as an inmate needing to receive notification of the death of a loved one. These meetings will be conducted using digital devices while the inmate is in a private isolated room. No face-to-face contact will occur. Because schools are closed, we have a reserve staff of 20 school resource officers who can serve in the detention center or elsewhere as needed. They have been assisting with patrol, working the front desk, and they have been heavily involved in the ongoing efforts to provide food for students and the elderly. We have not closed our office; however, we have limited some services, such as fingerprinting, to protect the secure areas of our facility. Additionally, until further notice, we are not giving facility tours or attending community meetings. Patrol deputies will still respond to calls for service. If the call requires a deputy’s physical presence to resolve the matter, restore safety and stability, investigate a crime scene, or arrest an offender, those services will still be provided in a professional and caring manner. In such cases, deputies will attempt to maintain six feet of space between themselves and other parties while gathering information and interviewing those involved. People needing law enforcement services can help by turning on lights and turning down the volume on televisions or radios. This helps law enforcement officers assess the situation while keeping the recommended level of distance between parties. Our Crisis Unit will continue to provide assistance for those experiencing domestic violence, with service delivery modified to protect all parties. The person seeking services will use a special laptop in our lobby to fill out required paperwork with the real time support and guidance of crisis personnel who have a remote connection to that machine. Equipment will be sanitized between users. Emergency hearings for domestic violence protective orders are still available, despite limited court services. The Crisis Unit phone number is (919) 245 – 2950. Stay safe, be good to one another, and call us if you need us. Previous Next

bb62531e-d12f-41af-90f3-df20f0d81b03 #27, BLET and BDOT August 25, 2021 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Last month, I wrote about the benefits and difficulties of a public safety career. My life’s work is in a valuable profession, one with job-security and the incredible opportunity to make a difference in the lives of others. In this month’s edition of The Lowdown, I am going to address the initial training necessary to begin such a career. As sheriff, I am responsible for enforcing laws, investigating crimes, providing for security of county courthouses, serving civil process paperwork, and the overall safety of Orange County. Additionally, I am responsible for the operation of the county detention facility, more commonly known as the jail. Deputies help me carry out the former functions and detention officers provide for the safety and well-being of those in my custody. Each role requires a specialized training program. Detention officers complete a five-week program, Basic Detention Officer Training (BDOT), while deputies receive their certification upon the successful completion of a 20-week Basic Law Enforcement Training class commonly called BLET. The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission is responsible for both certifications. I hire deputies with experience serving in other agencies as well as people brand new to law enforcement. New, uncertified hires initially serve in the detention center. Within a year, they are required to attend and successfully complete BDOT where they receive twenty-two separate blocks of instruction, including crisis intervention, preventing and responding to facility emergencies, conflict resolution, and the management and supervision of offenders. Once certified, they return to work in the detention center. After a year or so, an interested detention officer can ask to be considered for BLET, or they may continue to serve in the jail. Shortly after I became Sheriff, we started our own BLET academy. We felt it best for our community if cadets received training from people who understood the dynamics and needs of our region, and we knew we had talented instructors. Together with Durham Technical Community College, we created an academy pitched to a philosophical sweet spot. An overly militaristic program would not be conducive to our brand of friendly, trustworthy, and approachable service, but we still wanted to create a program with a standard of unwavering excellence. After seven years, our academy enjoys an excellent reputation; we recently began teaching our eighth class of cadets. These cadets face a rigorous program of academic work, practical skill building, and physical fitness training. I generally welcome the cadets early in the program; they don’t see me again until the school director and the training coordinator tell me, “We have our class.” By this, they mean the students who are unable to handle the rigor have washed out, and those capable of completing the course have gelled as a unit. At this point, I return to campus and present them with the class football, which is the outward symbol of my faith in them. The class leader protects the football for the rest of the course and returns it to me at the graduation ceremony. The football I will soon present to Class 8 is as pristine as it was on the day I gave it to Class 1. In addition to training cadets who will work for the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, we enroll students from neighboring jurisdictions. The current class has students from my office, Person County Sheriff’s Office, Carrboro, Chapel Hill, and Duke University Police Departments. Each class has a motto, and each maintains a memory wall. On the wall, members paste a short tribute to every law enforcement officer who dies in the United States performing his or her duties during the duration of the class. This is always a very sobering list, but a powerful reminder of the importance of service and the willingness to sacrifice. Many cadets are employed by an agency during their time in the academy, as is the case when my detention officers seek to become deputies. Others come to the academy on their own time, but under the sponsorship of an agency. A sponsoring agency conducts the background check and certifies the student meets all requirements. Although sponsored students have tuition waivers for program costs (approximately $2,400.00 for an in-state student), they must buy their own books and uniforms, and there is no promise of employment. Our academy, however, enjoys a reputation for graduating law enforcement professionals dedicated to doing the right thing, at the right time, in the right way, for the right reason; graduating cadets generally have no trouble finding a position in our area. If you think you might be interested in a rewarding career, please come see me. I’d love to tell you more about how you can get started. Previous Next

A twelve month running archive of Orange County Sheriff's Office press releases. Press Release Archive VUKMER IN CUSTODY AT THE ORANGE COUNTY DETENTION CENTER April 10, 2026 Read More MAN FACES MULTIPLE TRAFFIC, CRIMINAL, AND DRUG CHARGES AFTER ENDANDERING MANY April 9, 2026 Read More SHERIFF’S OFFICE MAKES ARREST IN SEXUAL OFFENSE CASES April 7, 2026 Read More VUKMER WAIVES EXTRADITION April 6, 2026 Read More VUKMER IN CUSTODY March 6, 2026 Read More WOMEN DIES AFTER BEING STABBED; INVESTIGATORS LOOK FOR ASSAILANT March 6, 2026 Read More TWO FACE MULTIPLE CHARGES FOLLOWING PURSUIT; TWO PATROL VEHICLES DISABLED March 5, 2026 Read More DEPUTIES ARREST MAN IN GUILFORD COUNTY AFTER ASSISTING WITH A HIT AND RUN CRASH IN HILLSBOROUGH March 2, 2026 Read More MAN FACES DRUG TRAFFICKING AND RELATED CHARGES March 2, 2026 Read More ADDITIONAL MAN FACES CHARGES FOR NOVEMBER BREAK-INS January 7, 2026 Read More TWO FACE CHARGES FOR CRIMES IN NEIGHBORING COMMUNITIES December 16, 2025 Read More 𝗔 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝗳 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗲𝗳𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗼, 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗹 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗛𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘀𝗯𝗼𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 November 19, 2025 Read More

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

00f98600-26b9-4bdb-96e1-13a67a084bc5 #81, Parakaleo February 25, 2026 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood An education is a wonderful thing to have, but social media is probably not the best place to find one. That said, you can learn a lot if you know where to look. I enjoy listening to author and motivational speaker Ryan Leak, because he regularly delivers nuggets of wisdom. I recently watched one of his videos in which he spoke about “parakaleo.” Now that I know this concept, I see it in action everywhere. Parakaleo comes from the Greek words para , meaning “alongside,” and kaleo , which means “to call.” Simply put, parakaleo is the practice of coming alongside of someone and encouraging them forward. With such a mindset, a person does not let others shrink back; rather, he or she supports them as they move forward in a positive direction. Dean Smith, the legendary, late UNC basketball coach, intuitively understood parakaleo. He taught his players that after scoring, they should point to the player who passed them the ball, publicly sharing the credit for the basket by acknowledging the assist. I saw my friend Bob Epting the other day, and he looked a little down. I was on my way to an appointment, and I didn’t have much time, but I stopped and asked him if he was okay. He said he just finished a slightly stressful, time-sensitive task and that he was otherwise fine. I told him how much he matters to me and reminded him to take care of himself. We had a nice exchange, and as we were talking, a young man walked up and asked for help with a dead car battery. I started to arrange for a deputy to bring him a jump box, but Bob interrupted and said, “You go on, Charles. I know you are headed somewhere. I’ve got this.” I spent a few minutes giving encouragement and care to Bob, and before we even parted company, he was paying it forward by investing helpful energy into someone else. Parakaleo in action is contagious, much like laughter and enthusiasm. With the right mindset, anyone can pull alongside someone and push them forward. Sadly, the reverse is also true. Remember the old saying, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but names will never hurt me”? I think we all know words can indeed hurt, and I believe destructive criticism is the opposite of parakaleo. I once attended an event to which I wore my favorite sport coat, a handsome tie, my favorite boots, and a nice pair of crisp blue pants. My wife picked out my jacket, and I love it. As soon as we arrived at the event, three or four people came up to me and complimented my beautiful coat before one person walked by and criticized my wardrobe choices. That one dig really stung, hitting me with more power than the multiple compliments, not because I am thin-skinned, but because of something scientists call negativity bias. With survival as the goal, evolution wired our brains to pay more attention to threats than to compliments, which is why the way we talk to people matters. We have the power to balance the scales by making sure people hear kindness more often than criticism. I recently gave the keynote at WHCL’s Hometown Hero luncheon during which the station celebrated those honored throughout the year in a popular weekly promotion. Almost no one in that room thought they did anything heroic – most of them said, “I was just doing my job.” However, we are a community full of people who notice the good deeds of others, pull alongside them, and push them forward by nominating them for public recognition because we know that what they do matters. Elite paracletes know that support can also be a passive practice. In other words, serving others doesn’t have to be hard or make you break into a sweat! Sometimes just listening to someone who seems down, harried, or frustrated is all it takes to allow them to move forward again. Put away your phone, make eye contact, avoid interrupting, and give the gift of your undivided attention. Usually, people don’t need us to offer solutions for their problems. They just need our support as they work through them. Every Tuesday morning, as we conclude staff meeting, I say, “Go forth and do good things.” Maybe I’ll start saying, “Go forth, do good things, and encourage someone to move forward with you.” Previous Next

40ed3117-3d9c-46f9-8fe7-e6f6df796c5e #51, Criminal Court Overview August 30, 2023 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Frequently, I read or hear comments indicating that people wish law enforcement officers would stop merely slapping criminals on the wrist, or go after the “real criminals,” as if it were acceptable to apply the law to those who break certain laws, but ignore those who commit other crimes. I believe such sentiments are an indication that the criminal justice system – of which law enforcement officers are only one part –is not fully understood. I’ll start my explanation with the most basic of principles: law enforcement officers must operate within the confines of the law. In other words, we must enforce the law as it is, not as we think it should be. The will of the people, and the needs of society, can change laws, and there is a slow, deliberate process that guides this evolution. If you don’t like a law, please work to change it through one of many options for constructive input. When law enforcement officers arrest someone for a crime, they must provide sworn testimony to a magistrate, attempting to establish that probable cause exists to believe the identified person committed the specified crime. Probable cause is more than just a reasonable suspicion. The deputy must identify specific facts and circumstances connecting the accused to the crime. However, probable cause is not absolute proof. Our system demands more than the belief of one person to convict someone of a crime. If the magistrate finds probable cause, he or she will process the arrest, set pre-trial conditions of release, and schedule an initial court date for the defendant. This moment represents a significant transition. Responsibility for the case passes from the law enforcement agency into the jurisdiction of the criminal court system, where the standard required for conviction is higher. The District Attorney (DA) is an elected representative of the people living in a judicial district. Also known as the prosecutor, the DA has the responsibility to seek justice in all cases. It is critical to understand “justice” does not mean punishing everyone who comes before the court. Rather, it means treating every one equally and attempting to find the morally correct, fair outcome. If there is adequate evidence supporting the criminal charge and law enforcement officers followed proper procedures, the DA will work to obtain a conviction. If the evidence is not strong enough, or if it was not properly obtained, it would be unethical to prosecute, and the DA must dismiss the case. Only a fraction of criminal cases ever proceed to a trial. Many cases are resolved by a plea bargain, a compromise between the prosecution and the defense, whereby each side feels the risks and rewards of proceeding to trial are appropriately balanced by the terms of the plea. The prosecutor might want a conviction on all charges but fear receiving a not-guilty verdict if the evidence is not compelling or unusually difficult to understand. The defense attorney might think it is in the best interests of the accused to accept conviction on lower-level charges rather than risk being found guilty of more serious crimes that carry longer incarceration times. Although the general public might take a dim view of plea bargains, the needs of a community are often well-served by such arrangements. If a judge approves, these proposals can guarantee conviction, specify a period of incarceration, and prevent the court system from becoming bogged down. Trials are VERY time-consuming and expensive. If every case went to trial, the backlog would be astronomical, costs would skyrocket, and both the victim and the defendant would spend years waiting for resolution. If a case goes to trial, a judge oversees the presentation of the case and ensures the prosecution and defense both follow the rules of evidence and due process. A judge is generally the trier of fact in District Court cases; a defendant in a Superior Court trail faces a jury of his or her peers. Both judge and jury must presume the defendant is innocent. They may only change that belief if the DA convinces them otherwise by proving every element of the crime(s) beyond a reasonable doubt. This standard requires that the DA present evidence and arguments to establish the defendant’s guilt so convincingly that any rational person would accept it as fact. As I hope I’ve made clear, the American criminal justice system is complex, and involves multiple professional disciplines. It works hard to hold guilty people accountable for their crimes while protecting innocent ones from wrongful conviction. It is not a perfect system, but I don’t know of a better one. Previous Next

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

a8ec572c-337d-48b5-abdc-fa3fe76f0c9a #58, Did you know - Lightning Round March 27, 2024 Sheriff Charles. S. Blackwood In this monthly article, I usually do a deep dive, focusing on one important law enforcement topic. This month, I’m doing a Lowdown Lightning Round! Let’s see how many programs, offerings, and small details I can share about our office within my 750-word allotment. Did you know we can place a premise alert on your residence? If you have something you want us to know BEFORE an emergency occurs, we enter that information into a database. Any deputy responding to your home will know immediately what your special concerns are. For example: Grandma’s bedroom is in the back left corner of the house. She uses a wheelchair. If there is an emergency, help her first. Or maybe it is better for someone in your home if we respond to your residence without flashing lights and sirens. Let us know in advance, and we will do our best to accommodate your request. We maintain a safe zone at our office where people can conduct buy/sell/trade transactions they arrange on social media. It should go without saying that if someone won’t agree to meet you at our office, you don’t want that person at your house! This service might surprise you: my IT team started a livestock tracking database. It contains the names of owners of large animals, such as horses, goats, emus, mules, cows, and pigs, and the nearest cross streets to where they live. If a deputy finds a loose animal, which happens more than you may think, he or she can consult the list to help identify the owner. It also minimizes the number of times we wake up the wrong person in the middle of the night! Upon your request, patrol deputies will conduct close patrols or house checks. In the former, deputies drive by your home more often than they would on routine patrol, and perhaps provide periods of stationary presence nearby. People request close patrols when they are out of town, having a dispute with a neighbor, or finding themselves worried about safety for any number of reasons. A house check is a similar service, but the deputy performs a closer inspection, walking around your residence, physically ensuring doors and windows are secure. A deputy who discovers any problems will call you or your emergency contact. People generally request this service when they plan to be out of town for an extended period. We have a drop box in our lobby for expired, no longer needed, or no longer wanted medication. Such boxes help keep drugs out of the wrong hands and the water supply. People particularly value this disposal option after the death of a loved one from a long illness like cancer. The volume of medications left behind can be overwhelming. I am proud to offer this easy, no-questions-asked option for safe disposal. Do you want to volunteer somewhere? Consider joining our Sheriff’s Office Citizens’ Organization (SOCO). This nonprofit helps with special fundraising initiatives throughout the year. Members enjoy selling corn at Hog Day, assisting with our Chicken Pickin’ event in April, supporting our Lifetrack program, and making holiday dreams come true in December at our Shop with the Sheriff event. SOCO boasts some of the kindest people in the county, and it is a low-stress commitment that makes a big difference to others. Our Community Service team will conduct a home security assessment upon your request. They look for ways to improve your safety and deter opportunistic criminals by examining your landscaping, lighting, and locking hardware. Deputies may make suggestions regarding where to store valuables in your home or identify places on your property that allow easy access to your residence out of sight of neighbors or those passing by. Users of this service find some of the suggestions surprisingly effective and low-cost. We also give facility tours. Maybe you have a school class or civic group interested in an up-close look at our office. Not just for third-graders, people of all ages enjoy seeing our patrol room, sitting in a marked vehicle, and learning about our responsibilities and equipment. My office is your office, and I welcome your interest. Finally, let us know if we can come to you. We provide safety presentations, drone and K9 demonstrations, and crime prevention consultations to social, school, church, and neighborhood civic groups. I managed to cover nine topics in this Lowdown Lightning Round and − BONUS POINTS − I came in at exactly 750 words! I hope you learned something new, and thanks for reading. Previous Next