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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

1797c67e-9939-441d-8bca-e2d13f4e960f #64, School Safety Threats and Rumors September 25, 2024 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Earlier this month, we faced a flurry of online messages raising concern about school safety. Most were vague or made in other counties and states but later viewed by someone locally. In one case, we learned of a post referencing “OCMS.” We do not have a school in our district known by those initials, but we had to consider whether the post intended to reference Orange Middle School (OMS). Later, we learned the post referred to Otter Creek Middle School in Terra Haute, Indiana. Many school districts are wrestling with similar issues. Authorities in Georgia recently charged more than 30 people in connection with threats made against the safety of educational property. Law enforcement officers in several other states also reported arrests. We know that parents appreciate transparency and the opportunity to make informed choices. In that spirit, we notify the community when we learn of rumors. However, we are also aware that even talking about vague, unsubstantiated concerns raises anxiety and increases absenteeism. Neither of these is good for anyone. We take disturbing social media posts and emails seriously. No leader charged with community safety can afford to do otherwise. Even when we are unable to substantiate a threat, we increase our law enforcement presence at schools as a precaution, and we work with school system staff to inform the community. Sharing information when concerns are vague, non-specific, and unsubstantiated may have the unintended effect of creating white noise. I am reminded of the Aesop fable known as “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” and I ask myself if these repeated warnings will eventually dilute concern to the point where people ignore critical threats. However, as we move forward, we will continue to inform people of concerns or rumors. We will also notify the community about credible and verified threats to the safety of the school community. We hope people recognize that there is a difference, and we will do our best to make it crystal clear by the words we choose. The school population needs to be safe from violence, and free from the interruption, fear, and distraction that whispers and inuendo cause. Arrests are increasing across the country for communicating a threat of mass violence on educational property - a clear signal that communities have no tolerance for those who threaten the safety of students and staff in our schools. Make no mistake. I am committed to identifying and prosecuting those who threaten or cause harm in our schools – even if they are juveniles. Parents also may face charges for contributing to the delinquency or neglect of a minor if they provide mobile devices to their children and fail to monitor their activities. Please talk to your kids. Make sure they understand that if they see a message that concerns them, the proper response is to talk about it with you or a trusted adult at school. Tell them they are not to copy, forward, or share the message with other students. Spreading rumors or threats by electronic means is the modern-day equivalent of yelling “Fire!” in a crowded theatre. It leads to panic and harm while complicating our efforts to verify and appropriately respond to real and dangerous threats. Likewise, please model the same behavior for your students. Before posting about a rumor, or adding your opinion to someone else’s thread, take a deep breath and ask yourself if what you are about to type is helpful. Are you sure it’s true? If it is just your feeling, do you need to post it for strangers to read? Maybe your time would be better spent calling the school or law enforcement to share your concern or reaching out to a friend for support. I am not minimizing anyone’s fears. I have grandchildren, and I see the worry in my daughter’s eyes. But we all need to manage the fear and work collectively to address this problem, rather than spinning a situation into an emotional frenzy that just feeds on itself and grows ever more chaotic. There are dozens of law enforcement officers and school personnel who are trained in threat assessment and response. We have resources to investigate threats and to power up increased safety protocols. If you or your children haveinformation about a potential threat, contact your school, call law enforcement, or use the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System ( www.saysomething.net ) and let us get to work. Previous Next

b6e85dc1-c439-4de2-87b5-d4e1e9e88261 #67, The Power of Partnerships December 24, 2024 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood I often emphasize the importance of partnerships and the power of working together towards a common goal. I also tend to get reflective in December! As we close out the year, two events stand out as examples of how partnerships prove essential to our ability to serve the public and respond effectively to crises. Law enforcement officers, emergency responders, and members of the criminal justice community form partnerships in three primary ways. We network at conferences and trainings, where we learn, compare strategies, and swap stories about our successes and challenges. We form alliances while serving on various boards or committees where we have opportunities to brainstorm and hear about the experiences of others. We also forge these bonds in the field when we respond to crises affecting multiple jurisdictions and involving more than our own area of expertise. Coalitions formed during rapidly evolving, tense, and dangerous situations tend to be particularly strong. One situation exemplifying the power of partnerships occurred this past summer as multiple agencies worked together to find a convicted murderer who escaped from North Carolina Department of Adult Corrections (DAC) personnel as their transport van arrived at the UNC Hospital in Hillsborough. The inmate traveled through unincorporated Orange County, across multiple jurisdictions, and eventually to Kannapolis more than 100 miles away. I quickly contacted Emergency Services Director Kirby Saunders. From past collaborations, I knew the value of his skills and capabilities. We have worked many critical incidents together searching for lost people, and an escaped prisoner is a missing person who doesn’t want to be found. Thanks to my relationship with Director Saunders and other strong, pre-existing partnerships, I assembled a multi-jurisdictional, cross-disciplinary team within hours. This group then efficiently conducted a massive manhunt lasting several days before successfully returning the person to DAC custody. But here’s an interesting twist: while I was feeling gratitude for longstanding partnerships, new relationships were forming, one of which would prove instrumental prior to the end of the year! Let me explain. During the search, Director Saunders met and worked with Kenneth Smith, Chief of Emergency Preparedness for DAC, and saved his contact information. In late September, Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, causing catastrophic destruction, death, and trauma. The storm obliterated power, water, and communications systems and washed away roads. People were trapped, injured, or unaccounted for, and downed trees and missing bridges hampered search and rescue efforts. Although all first responder agencies have a role to play in such disasters, preparing for and coordinating the response to such an event are some of the primary functions of emergency management professionals like Director Saunders and Chief Smith. Within days, Saunders deployed to Black Mountain to assist with the logistics of the recovery efforts. While listening to one of many coordination briefings, Saunders learned that the storm rendered two nearby prisons uninhabitable. Combined, 400 incarcerated women were living without power or water, creating unsafe and dangerous conditions for them and the staff charged with their protection. Where to move them and how to transport them safely despite the infrastructure problems were huge challenges. If DAC officials could not relocate the offenders quickly, they would need law enforcement officers to provide additional security at the two facilities, depleting the number available for critical search and rescue missions. Upon hearing of this problem, Saunders immediately recalled meeting Chief Smith during the manhunt. He called Chief Smith on Sunday, and they discussed and established evacuation plans. Monday morning, buses arrived at the two facilities. By evening, authorities safely re-located all offenders. Emergency management officials no longer needed to worry about the safety of the women or a shortage of people available for search and rescue efforts. Next, Saunders and Smith worked together to get permission to allow the town to use the now empty prisons as receiving locations for incoming bulk commodities such as fuel and water. These items required either secure storage or law enforcement personnel to protect them. Through the synergy of their relationship, Saunders and Smith found a solution that did not require scaling back other critical work. As we move into a new year, I find myself marveling at both the power of nature and that of human connection. We must maintain a collective commitment to helping our neighbors in western North Carolina. I resolve to nurture my existing partnerships and devote energy to building more of them. I encourage you to do the same. Best wishes for a safe and healthy 2025! ### Previous Next

96a34295-5d59-48fb-8208-d3b756e3b184 #14, COP and Jones July 29, 2020 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood Law enforcement agencies operate on federal, state, and local levels of government. They also operate in specialty areas, as is the case with park rangers; Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms agents; and officers with the Transportation Security Administration. All are important, but the law enforcement officials most people see in their day-to-day lives are deputy sheriffs and police officers. I am frequently asked to explain the difference. Both prevent crime; enforce traffic laws; serve warrants; investigate and solve crimes; provide safety and crowd management at large events; and assist other emergency agencies such as fire and rescue departments. A sheriff has additional duties, including the operation of the county detention center; the protection of the courthouses and the people involved with the proceedings therein, the issuing of pistol purchase and concealed carry permits; and the service of civil processes. As the sheriff, I am elected to my office and I have jurisdiction throughout the county. In contrast, a police chief is hired by a city or town manager or elected board and his or her jurisdiction is effectively the area within the municipal boundaries. As a matter of practice, unless I am asked to assist a municipal agency, I confine my traditional law enforcement activities to the unincorporated areas of the county while performing my additional duties throughout. In this edition of The Lowdown, I want to talk about Community Oriented Policing, although for obvious reasons, I wish it were called Community Oriented Law Enforcement – it would be much more inclusive that way! This method of service delivery focuses on reducing crime and disorder by building relationships, increasing trust, creating partnerships, and working with a community to solve problems. Since I took office in 2014, my deputies and I have been working to serve in a manner consistent with this philosophy. I often quote Sir Robert Peel who established the first modern police force in London in 1829; it became the model for other countries as they developed their own law enforcement agencies. All “Peelian” principles reflect the idea that officers assume their duties with the implicit consent of those they police. My favorite principle includes the line, “The police are the public and the public are the police.” Peel notes officers are the only members of the public who give full-time attention to “duties which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests of community welfare and existence.” To me, this is the heart of Community Oriented Law Enforcement – deputies dedicating themselves professionally to the responsibilities we all share. I want to give you a recent example. This June, off-duty Sergeant D.R. Jones heard a boom in the early hours of the morning and left his home to investigate, wearing gym shorts and a T-shirt. He wondered if a neighbor with substance abuse struggles and a recent DWI may have been involved in an accident on a nearby curve in the road. Instead, he discovered a garage fully engulfed in flames. He called for fire units and parked his car out of the path the drivers would need to approach the scene. Knowing an elderly woman lived in the house next to the garage, he attempted to rouse her, repeatedly shouting “Sheriff’s Office.” His shouts did not bring the woman to the door. He broke a window, entered the house, found the woman, and escorted her out. A car parked just outside the home was on fire, and the fire was spreading toward the house and other vehicles. He asked the woman whether her husband was in the home; she said she wasn’t sure. Jones placed her in his car and reentered the home. Once back inside; he remembered hearing the man died recently and realized the woman was disoriented by the stress of the situation. Jones returned outside, helped direct incoming fire units, and then waited with the woman until a family member arrived. This one incident provides powerful testimony to the value of law enforcement officers living in the communities they are sworn to protect. For Jones, his efforts were both personal and professional. He went out to check the safety of his own community and he managed the dangerous situation he found using his professional training. On that night, Jones was both the police and the public, and he saved a life wearing gym shorts. “The police are the public.” In other words, I am one of you. “The public are the police.” You are part of us. There are community welfare duties incumbent on everyone. Please do your part – contact me. Tell me what you expect from YOUR sheriff’s office. It is my honor to work with you to build trust, create partnerships, and solve problems in our community. Previous Next

fbed0ab2-8ff8-46d9-a3e2-7106acaa9354 < Back VUKMER WAIVES EXTRADITION April 6, 2026 Hillsborough, NC (April 6, 2026) – Matthew Vukmer, the man charged with the stabbing death of Paula Floyd, waived extradition today during a court hearing in Grayson County, Virginia. Virginia authorities have been holding Vukmer under a fugitive from justice charge in the New River Valley Regional Jail in Dublin, Virginia since March 6, 2026, the day of Ms. Floyd’s death. Vukmer drove away from the murder scene immediately after the crime, and members of the Capital Area Regional Task Force in Grayson County took him into custody at 5:15 pm that evening. North Carolina follows the Uniform Criminal Extradition Act, designed to ensure the return of defendants who flee a state attempting to avoid criminal prosecution there. Extradition can be a complicated process, but in simplest terms relevant to the alleged murder of Paula Floyd, extradition refers to the legal proceedings involved in transferring the custody of Vukmer from Virginia back to North Carolina. Defendants can waive extradition or participate in formal extradition proceedings, which require a Governor’s warrant and a hearing. As a broad generalization, the process takes approximately 30 days, as it did in this case. Sheriff Blackwood said, “We will confer with the District Attorney and make plans for Vukmer’s transport back to Orange County where we will serve him with the North Carolina murder warrant. At that point, the case formally transfers to the District Attorney’s Office for prosecution. Although that transition is an important step forward in the pursuit of justice, we are aware that no legal proceeding can undo the profound loss experienced by the victim’s loved ones. We continue to offer them our deepest condolences.” Vukmer will be held at the Orange County Detention Center. Previous Related Releases Vukmer In Custody Woman Dies After Being Stabbed; Investigators Look For Assailant Previous Next 1/0

Adverse Weather information for Orange County NC, provided by the Orange County Sheriff's Office. Adverse Weather Information ORANGE COUNTY, NC HOMEPAGE The homepage for Orange County Government in North Carolina. The County will list any major weather events impacting services here on the website. OC ALERTS OC Alerts is the public alert and warning system for Orange County. If you are an Orange County resident, sign up for OC Alerts to get important public safety messages! THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER The National Hurricane Center and Central Pacific Hurricane Center webpage is maintained by NOAA to provide information on severe tropical weather. THE WEATHER CHANNEL A reliable source of information on both severe and daily weather information and forecasts. Severe Weather Preparedness Be Ready: Your 72-Hour Emergency Kit When major weather events hit, emergency services focus on critical infrastructure and life-threatening situations first. Every household should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours. Your emergency kit should include: Essential Supplies: Water: 1 gallon per person per day (12 gallons for a family of 4) Three-day supply of non-perishable food Battery-powered radio Flashlights and extra batteries First aid supplies Manual can opener Important medications Backup power banks for devices Learn more about building your kit: https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit Family Emergency Plan Create and discuss your family's emergency strategy: Identify safe shelter locations Plan evacuation routes Choose emergency meeting points Establish communication methods Prepare for pet care needs Secure outdoor items Protect vehicles Visit https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan for detailed planning guides Stay Connected Sign up for OC Alerts at www.ReadyOrange.org Keep devices fully charged before storms Have backup power solutions ready Maintain battery-powered radios Follow official emergency channels Community Preparedness Check on elderly neighbors Share resources (generators, chainsaws, vehicles) Support those with special needs Consider donating extra supplies Join neighborhood preparedness groups Learn about neighborhood preparedness: http://www.orangecountync.gov/1684/Five-Steps-to-Neighborhood-Preparedness For comprehensive hurricane safety information: https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes Remember: The time to prepare is before the storm. Don't wait until it's too late.

f23fdc3f-4de8-4229-a65b-a93beb153b1b #73 Water Safety June 25, 2025 Sheriff Charles S. Blackwood My father taught me the irony of water: we spend as much time fighting to keep it out of some places as we do trying to contain it within others. Without it, nothing lives, yet it can be incredibly destructive. That contradiction illustrates a critical truth. We cannot control water, and therein lies its danger, especially when it comes to water safety in the summer. Water is powerful, unpredictable, and deceptive. The phrase “still waters run deep” refers to a quiet, calm person with a complex, interesting, inner life – an apt metaphor for the currents and turmoil often lurking beneath the surface of any body of water. I think of the four-acre pond at the Eno Quarry, which closed in 1964. It has claimed at least four lives and broken the bones of countless others who jumped into its serene beauty only to be surprised by its surprising depth and hidden dangers. Did you know a toddler can drown in only two inches of water? Children that young have small bodies, large heads, and are still figuring out how to control their limbs. They usually find it difficult to return to an upright position if they slip in the bathtub or stick their head into a carwash bucket. One panicked inhalation in the water can lead to a blocked airway. Obviously, the shallow end of a pool and the ocean’s edge are therefore dangerous for little ones. If you’ve seen a drowning depicted on TV, you probably have the wrong expectations. Drowning is a surprisingly silent event, not a noisy, violent episode of splashing and screaming. The person is unlikely to call for help; the human body prioritizes breathing and staying afloat over shouting. Sufferers often look calm or even passive to people standing nearby. Victims are usually vertical in the water, with a tipped back head, a mouth just at water level, and glassy, unfocused eyes. They may appear to be climbing a ladder, but they are not making effective movement in any direction. My wife and I have a pool, and our grandkids love it. But the mere presence of that pool means they are always in danger at our house, not just when we are swimming. If they are on the property, someone must have eyes on them. Around a pool, the water watcher is akin to a designated driver at a bar or party but with even more restrictions. Think about the lifeguards you have known. They sit alone, with no phones, conversations, or other distractions. The job requires total concentration and sobriety. People frequently assume children are safer if many adults surround the pool, lake, or seashore. The reality is that if everyone is “watching the kids,” no one is watching them carefully. Even casual conversation distracts; the risks increase exponentially if people are drinking, reading, or scrolling on their phones. Children who take swimming lessons early in life often experience a decreased fear of the water, increased ability to submerge their faces, and some can even demonstrate a survival float−although they might not understand its purpose. I am all for early swim lessons, as long as no one forgets that children younger than three or four rarely have the physical coordination and the mental judgment to be a competent, water-safe swimmer. Experts do not recommend floaties, water wings, or innertubes. These aids can slip off, pop, or trap a child upside down. Life jackets, also called personal flotation devices or PFDs, are the best form of protection. Manufacturers design them with floatation pads that turn a person – even an unconscious one – face up in the water. Everyone on a boat, not just children, should wear a PFD. Intending to grab one in case of an emergency is like planning to buckle your seatbelt during a traffic crash. If the boat capsizes or collides with another vessel, a PFD will rarely be within your reach when you surface after being thrown into the water. Moreover, if you sustain an injury during the emergency, you may have trouble swimming to a PFD or putting it on. No one, regardless of ability, should swim alone. Leave the water if you hear thunder or see lightning. Have a rescue plan, make sure you have a phone nearby, and learn CPR. Water both enhances and threatens life – sometimes in the same moment. Tragedy happens when we assume it won’t. Stay sober, take your turn watching, and above all, respect the power of water. That simple act can mean everything. ### Previous Next

Learn about the SRT Team at the Orange County Sheriff's Office, NC. S.R.T. - Special Response Team The Special Response Team (S.R.T.) is the Orange County Sheriff's Office's highly trained tactical unit, ready to respond to our community's most challenging public safety incidents. These specially selected, trained, and equipped deputies complete rigorous training to handle dangerous operations, including: High-risk search warrants Violent offender/fugitive apprehension Hostage situations Barricaded suspect(s) Civil unrest management Emergency tactical response Team Excellence Each S.R.T. member maintains readiness through mandatory ongoing training and must meet strict performance standards. This commitment to excellence ensures our team is prepared to respond effectively when called upon to protect public safety. Major Josh wood Major Josh Wood (pictured to the left) leads the S.R.T. Team. Contact him with any questions: Email: jwood@orangecountync.gov Phone: (919) 245-2927

Request a House Check or Close Patrol from Orange County Sheriff's Office. Close Patrols & House Checks Close Patrols and House Checks closely watch your business or residence while you are away for an extended period of time. You can find a description of both a Close Patrol or House Check in the form below. If you are unsure which is appropriate, call us at (919) 245-2900.

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