#79, Third Term in Review

As the final days of 2025 tick away, it has now been 45 years since I began my law enforcement career. On December 16, 1980, when I first put on the uniform as a deputy, I never imagined such longevity. As my third term as Sheriff continues, my father’s advice, “Love what you do, and you’ll never work a day in your life” deeply resonates with me.

I periodically reflect on my first days as Sheriff back in December 2014. I expected establishing a new culture to be challenging, but it turned out to be relatively easy. I centered everything on the premise that employees are a Sheriff’s greatest asset. I trusted that if they felt important, valued, supported, and appreciated, they would perform well and earn community respect. We took a fresh look at our policies, adjusted those that were well-intentioned but poorly planned, and engaged in a continual process of evaluation and improvement. With state-of-the-art training and equipment, employees are safer. They think creatively, work efficiently, and interact confidently with the public and those in our custody at the detention center. I hear almost daily how well they represent the mission and values of this office.

About a year ago in this column, I wrote about the importance of partnerships. Every time we collectively solve complicated problems, we learn something from the other professionals involved, and we improve our working relationships. Almost every crisis we face is easier because of the ones that came before it; there is simply no substitute for experience. Coalitions formed during rapidly evolving, tense, and dangerous situations tend to be particularly strong, and we rely on this trust when public safety is at stake. Because relationships are of immeasurable value to a Sheriff, I continuallydevote energy to building new ones. Trust must be built before the blue lights flash; therefore, we work to build connection with those we serve at community centers, in the courts, through the schools, at parades and public events, and with those who walk in the front door seeking assistance with administrative needs, civil process, or personal crisis.

It’s no secret that providing 24/7/365 patrol and detention services for a county of more than 150,000 people spread across 401 square miles and bisected by two major interstates is an expensive undertaking. A Sheriff must be a fiscally responsible steward of public funds, and I value our excellent working relationship with the Orange County Board of Commissioners and Kirk Vaughn, our county budget director. We technically operate under two budgets – one for the detention center and one for all other operations. Chief Deputy Tina Sykes carefully balances our needs versus our wants as she manages both. She evaluates every expense using a simple test: if the item, initiative, training, or program directly relates to the safety of our employees or the public we serve, it is a need. Other requests may fall more into the category of a want. For example, newer, smaller, more powerful flashlights might be nice to have, but we only purchase them after meeting higher priorities.

Many sheriffs across the nation have struggled with hiring and retaining employees. Some now provide hiring bonuses, a practice I prefer to avoid. I believe in hiring right, not rushing to hire right now. Retention bonuses, however, have merit; rewarding longevity helps a Sheriff keep talent and build institutional knowledge. We are fortunate to have a staff member dedicated to identifying and hiring quality candidates and ensuring their continual training. Moreover, you can’t buy advertisements as powerful as the personal testimony of employees who are proud of the work they do and the colleagues with whom they do it! We continually find that current team members are among our best recruiters.

I chair the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission whose website links to the NC Statistical Analysis Center and the NC Justice Data Portal. Using 2024 statistics— the most recent available—I am pleased to report that Orange County has a crime rate 14.1% lower than the statewide average. This figure represents 790 fewer crimes per 100,000 people and a meaningfully lower individual risk per resident. I am also pleased that our Criminal Investigations Division has solved 100% of homicides occurring during my tenure as Sheriff.

I am very fortunate to do work I love alongside truly talented people. Together, our accomplishments have exceeded my expectations, and I head into 2026 grateful for the opportunity to continue serving. I wish all of you a safe and happy holiday season.