GREENSBORO, N.C. — The Guilford County Sheriff's Office released its 2019 year in review. According to Sheriff Danny Rogers, the documents detailed what the sheriff says were accomplishments and significant happenings in the agency.
Some of the highlights included the promotion of more than 50 personnel to various ranks, including the ranks of Master Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, and Chief Deputy.
"Promotions were based on a positive change of diversity, overall experience, knowledge, testing, seniority and qualifications. An impartial format to adopt diversity among all races, genders, religions, and backgrounds has enhanced the overall image of the Sheriff's Office," said Sheriff Rogers in the statement.
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GCSO's Task Force also received state and national recognition for DWI Enforcement and Educational programs. The agency reported 1851 Traffic Stops and 295 DWI arrests with 83 people under the age of 21.
The agency also reported various amounts of illicit drug and contraband seizures by its Vice and Narcotics and Specialized Enforcement Unit. Seizures included 40 firearms, five of which were stolen, 6 kilos of fentanyl and about 100 kilos in total of cocaine.
Sheriff Rogers also noted saving county taxpayers over $100,000 in outside legal fees by utilizing its in-house legal team.
Sheriff Danny Rogers reported the following key points as notable accomplishments for the law enforcement agency in 2019.
Sheriff's Office 2019 Review
District One Accomplishments
• Office Manager Shamika Boston was awarded the Civilian Employee of the year
• Deputy L. Self received the Congressional Badge of Bravery
• New Command Staff appointed –Captain Moore and 1st Lt. Fuller
• 1st Lt. Fuller serving on Opioid/Drug Abuse Coalition & Summerfield Founders' Day Committee.
District Two Accomplishments
• New Command Staff appointed - Captain Corbett and 1st Lt. Popek
• Deputy C. Thomas coming back full-time after injury and being appointed to Detective
• Major Crimes MCpl. J. Lowes promoted to Detective Sergeant
• Sergeant Huckabee transferred to P&T Training Division
• MCpl. T. Cooke promoted to Patrol Sergeant
• Numerous traffic checkpoints conducted throughout the district
• Several amounts of narcotics
• Arrested several suspects in burglaries and larcenies
• Attended National Night Out and other community events
• Participated in the Oakwood Mobile Home Park initiative for two months in an effort to deter fights, open-air drug activities, and to promote community policing in the neighborhood
District Three Accomplishments
• New Command Staff appointed – Captain Holder and 1st Lt. Wiseman
• Conducted numerous traffic checkpoints including Bus-85/MLK, 220/Old Randleman (South), Dillon/Main, 220/Old Randleman (North), Fairfield/Brentwood, Dillon/Sherill, Scientific/Pruette, Main/Bonner, and approximately 10 saturation patrols in Five Points and MLK/Scientific area of High Point.
• Conducted knock and talk investigations, search warrants on residences and phones.
• Many notable arrests to include an interstate mail thief arrest with Postal Service involvement, numerous drug trafficking arrests, and numerous arrests involving firearm seizures (some of which were reported stolen).
• Participated in local parades and other community events
School Resource Officer ("SRO") Division
• The SRO Division continues to serve the over 14 high schools and middle schools in Guilford County. These Deputies are tasked with overseeing the overall safety of staff, students, and visitors. They are guardians, mentors, coaches, peacekeepers, counselors and often the parent figure the student is lacking at home. Our SRO's take pride in being public servants and making a positive influence and change in our schools. This formula has proven to be very successful throughout the schools.
• Restructured SRO Command Staff to include an Assistant Division Commander to assist with officer presence in the schools.
• Reassigned all SRO's to new schools to prevent burn-out and complacency.
• Participated in the formation of the School Justice Partnership, designed to keep kids in school and out of court.
• Replaced outdated vehicles for all SRO's, incorporating a new paint scheme.
• Received grant for additional training and equipment.
• Attended School Safety Summit, and training on the use of SBI Behavioral Threat Assessment (BeTA) resources.
• Met with Principals from all county high schools and middle schools to strengthen relationships.
• Attended regular meetings with Guilford County School Safety officials, Chief of Schools and Chief Operations Officer for GCS.
• Conducted "Run, Hide, Fight" training for multiple school faculty members.
• Recognized SRO S. Joseph for Deputy Sheriff of the Year, as well as a Meritorious Conduct Bar.
• Decreased the number of arrests and increased the number of student diversions for criminal activity within the schools. Diversions took students out of the criminal process pipeline.
• Tested all school panic alarms before the start of school in August.
• Assisted with the Vehicle Injury Prevention Program (VIP) at several schools.
• Supported the GCSO through membership on the following teams: Crisis Negotiation Team, Civil Disturbance Unit, and Drone Operator Team.
• Assisted with a Presentation at Northern Guilford High School by the Sharpe Male Mentoring Initiative for male students and their fathers or male mentors. Informed students about current laws and their consequences, ideas for their future endeavors, and how to be successful in life.
• Assisted with a high volume of traffic crashes around Northern Guilford by recruiting the Traffic Safety Unit from Greensboro PD to observe and analyze the traffic flow. Recommendations for improvements were passed along to school officials.
Jail Central & High Point Jail
• The staff has participated in re-entry simulations to have a better understanding of the challenges that re-entry can present
• Teamed with up GCSTOP to identify inmates addicted to opioids
• Partnered with a clinical psychologist to implement a new empowerment coaching program for our residents
• Hired a discharge planner to ensure a comprehensive continuity of care for all patients
• Developed, and implemented a permanent shift schedule for both facilities.
Resource Management & Fleet Services
• Deployed 5 new Harley Davidson Motorcycles which were purchased using Federal Forfeiture Funds. The Motorcycle Team uses these for events and traffic enforcement
• Introduced a new color and design of black Dodge Charger patrol vehicles with new graphics. More of these will be deployed in 2020.
• Fleet Services and Farm staff attended several parades throughout the County and prepared floats, banners, and vehicles seen throughout these events.
• The Sheriff's Office held its annual awards ceremony in April. Over 70 employees were recognized for multiple awards including, but not limited to, Performance Beyond the Call of Duty, Community Service, Lifesaving, Valor, and Meritorious Service. Purple Hearts were awarded to Deputies injured in the line of duty. One Deputy was awarded the Congressional Badge of Bravery issued by the United States Congress. All these awards and medals serve as a reflection of the high quality of men and women serving on the Sheriff's Office. They leave their families and homes every day to serve and protect total strangers, families, and homes. "If Not them, then Who?"
AFIS/Crime Scene Unit Investigations
• First time ever in the history of AFIS and CSI units, both units have become fully accredited through ANIS National Accreditation Board (ANAB). This is very distinguishable and means they are following a national standard for fingerprint identification services (AFIS) and for crime scene investigations and procedures (CSIs).
Evidence Section
• Completed all quarterly inspections and the annual inspection of the Evidence section with no exceptions, everything passed inspection.
• All while housing in excess of 50,000 individual items stored in the Evidence Section.
Crime Repression Team
• 17 Drone Callouts
• 29 Air Support Flights
• Assisted with Double Homicide trial in January 2019
• 3 ATV Callouts
• Seizure of kilos of Heroin
DWI Task Force
• to the GCSO DWI Task Force continues to serve as the lead agency in coordinating, managing and overseeing all DWI operations throughout Guilford County, to include Greensboro and High Point. The Task Force received state and national recognition for DWI Enforcement and Educational programs.
• 1851 Traffic Stops and 295 Driving While Impaired Arrests (83 under the age of 21).
• 1200 + Traffic Citations Issued
• 25 Vehicles Seized at a value of $234,400 (School Board Seizures)
• DWI Educator Presentations – 63 (number of people reached 8076)
Legal Process Division
• The Family Service/50B Unit processed and served twice as many Domestic Violence Orders as in years past. This is a direct reflection of the unit's work ethic, dedication, and support in decreasing domestic violence in Guilford County, to include Greensboro and High Point. This Unit, in cooperation and coordination with the Family Justice Centers, has made a very positive impact on the quality of life with families involved in domestic violence incidents.
K9 Unit Activities
• Our K-9 Unit is one of the most requested units from the public for demonstrations at local church groups, Scout troops, and the Sheriff's Citizens and Youth Academies. In 2019, K-9 units attended 23 school visits and conducted 12 different presentations and community events interacting with an estimated 650 people of varying age groups.
• The Sheriff's Office K-9 unit is recognized as one of the top units in the State. Receiving calls for assistance with operations and training from agencies across the state. Our K-9 units have responded to assist agencies as far away as Nash County in eastern North Carolina. This is a reflection of the high quality of training and operational readiness our K-9 Deputies and dogs maintain.
• Tracking 57
• Missing persons 29
• Narcotic searches 78
• Evidence searches 17
• Building searches 1
• Vehicle Stops 330
Vice/Narcotics Division
• The Vice/Narcotics Unit has closed fifty-one cases and is currently preparing numerous other cases for closure. Of the fifty-one closed cases, 11 (21.5%) were in the County, 28 (55%) were in the City of Greensboro, and 12 (23.5%) were in the City of High Point. As a result of these cases, the Unit has seized the following:
• Cases Closed: 51
• Search Warrants Executed: 43
• Vehicles Seized: 6
• Guns Seized: 40 (5 were reported stolen)
• US Currency Seized: $406,276
• Cocaine Seized: 36,291.1 grams 36 Kilos
• Marijuana: 12,406.7 grams
• Methamphetamine: 789 grams
• Molly (powder ecstasy): 286 grams
• Heroin/Fentanyl: 6,734.9 grams 6 + Kilos
• Ecstasy pills: 10
• Xanax powder: 589.5 grams
• Xanax pills: 33
• Alprazolam pills: 97.5
• MDPV: 2 grams
• Lean: 28 grams
• Medicine Take-Back Operations: 7
• Patrol training sessions about seizures: 2
Specialized Enforcement Unit
• HG Marijuana seized – 716,016.5 grams - 1578.5 lbs.
• THC Products / Vape oil / Wax – 28,542 grams - 63 lbs.
• MX Marijuana - 243,778.0 grams / 537.5 lbs.
• Heroin – 3,834.5 grams / 3.8 Kilos
• Methamphetamine – 32,919.5 grams / 72.6 lbs.
• Cocaine – 72,868.00 grams / 160.7 lbs. - 72.8 kilos
• US Currency - $161,545.00
• Psilocybin (Mushrooms) - 446 grams
• Codeine Syrup - 122 grams
• Counterfeit Controlled Substance - 100 lbs.
• Propofol – 50 ML
• Xanax – 10,375 Dosage Units
• Firearms – 1
• Cases Closed by Arrest – 22
Personnel & Training
• Over 50 personnel were promoted to various ranks in 2019, including the ranks of Master Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, and Chief Deputy. Promotions were based on a positive change of diversity, overall experience, knowledge, testing, seniority and qualifications. An impartial format to adopt diversity among all races, genders, religions, and backgrounds has enhanced the overall image of the Sheriff's Office. We now reflect the face of the community we serve in Guilford County. Among the promotions were male and female Caucasians, African Americans, American Natives to include the Cherokee, Lumbee, Coharie and Tuscarora tribes, and Hispanic cultures. Personnel promoted have exceeded the expectations and goals for their positions. This is a tribute to teamwork, leadership and managing the everyday operations required to oversee public safety.
• Implemented outer carrier ballistic vests to help relieve pressure on the back
• Increased advertising budget resulting in recruiting vehicle wrap and billboard installation
• Sponsored 10 Detention Officers to complete basic law enforcement training program to become sworn deputies
Honor Guard
• Honor Guard, the Sheriff's Office Honor Guard team participated and assisted agencies from across the State. This team has received statewide recognition as a leader in Honor Guard ceremonies often being requested from across the state to assist with ceremonies and training.
Court Services-Bailiffs Division
• The Bailiff's Division conducted several high-profile trial operations during the year receiving numerous commendations from Judges and court staff. One such operation completed in November was the security detail for the two-day North Carolina Supreme Court Justices visit. The Justices were very impressed with the overall courtesy, professionalism, and care shown to them by the Sheriff's Office personnel.
Sheriff's Legal Section
• The Sheriff's Legal Section, comprised of two Deputy County Attorneys and one certified paralegal, instituted new procedures for reviewing, processing and monitoring contracts with outside vendors as well as employee illness and workers compensation claims.
• Utilizing a new software system, the Legal Section developed much-improved practices for initiating and amending the many written policies and procedures under which the Sheriff's Office operates.
• The Legal Section pursued two liability claims for faulty construction problems plaguing county-owned buildings used by the Sheriff's Office and successfully recovered more than $195,000.00 dollars in money damages from the at-fault, outside contractors. Although other local law enforcement agencies routinely hire expensive outside law firms to represent their law enforcement officers in alleged liability claims, the Sheriff's Legal Section has represented and defended Sheriff's personnel in several Federal and State lawsuits, thus saving County taxpayers the cost of hiring outside, private law firms in all but one of those lawsuits. In one case alone, this has resulted in saving County taxpayers over $100,000.00 in outside legal fees.
• The Legal Section continued to provide 24/7 legal assistance to all Deputies and Detention Officers inside the Sheriff's Office, including on-scene legal advice at both deputy-involved shooting incidents in October 2019
The Sheriff's Office during this year has assisted local, state and federal agencies with various operations and training. We have continued to enhance and maintain the highest level of professionalism, service, and care to the citizens we serve. Respect, humility, honor, integrity, and fulfilling the oath we take is and will always be a trademark of the Guilford County Sheriff's Office. All this is a direct reflection of training, adequate policies and operation procedures, professional standards, a high moral compass, high-quality personnel, and leadership.