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Sterlin M. Walker, Jr.

Sterlin M. Walker Jr., a Democratic candidate for Vance County Sheriff, said he would strive to to offer transparency and accountability to the citizens of Vance County if he is elected sheriff, and would focus on recruitment and retention of officers, increased quality of training, better pay, and streamlining the functions of the sheriff’s office.

In addition, he would like to explore developing a mentorship program for the youth in the community, focus on cybercrime and said he would “definitely…concentrate on cultural diversity and inclusion of everyone in our law enforcement community. I want to look at hiring more Hispanics, more minorities,” he said during a recorded interview with John C. Rose that aired on Thursday’s Town Talk.

Walker is challenging incumbent Curtis R. Brame in the May 17 primary election. The winner will face the Republican challenger in the November 2022 election.

Walker talked about his career in law enforcement and how his experiences have shaped him personally and professionally.

He said the people of Vance County should trust the sheriff’s office and the officers who serve them. “We are all servants of this county and it’s our duty to serve them,” he said.

He joined the Henderson Police Department in 1996 and rose to the rank of sergeant.

“When I first came to Henderson… in 1996, my first assignment was working undercover in narcotics division,” Walker said. From there, he went to the patrol division and eventually promoted to detective – just as cases he’d worked on when he was in narcotics were coming to trial.

“I’ve worked everything from larceny to homicides to bank robberies,” Walker said, adding that he is the only candidate who can claim a 100 percent conviction rate on every homicide for which he was lead investigator.

Officer recruitment, retention

“The first issue that I want to look at is recruitment and retention of officers in the Vance County Sheriff’s Office,” Walker said. “We can hire them, but we seem not to keep them.”

He said officers often can supplement their primary pay with off-duty security assignments. There also are opportunities for local officers to become instructors at the community college; Walker was an instructor for more than 20 years at Vance-Granville Community College, teaching in the basic law enforcement training and in specialty areas of pursuit and precision driving, Taser and active shooter training.

“The opportunities are out there,” he said, “you just have to avail yourself to the training and to those opportunities.”

His experience being an instructor allowed him to network with other agencies, department heads and other recruits, Walker noted.

“They know what I look for in a recruit – I’m looking for honesty and integrity.

It’s ok to make a mistake, as long as you learn from your mistake and keep pushing on,” he said.

Pay options

Better pay for officers is something that he would work with county government and elected officials on, too. He said there are many state and federal grants that may be available to compensate officers for overtime pay for particular programs or targeted issues.

Recruits should know that “you can come to Vance County  and you can bring your skills and your mindset and we welcome that. We also have something to offer,” he said. “It’s more than just a paycheck.”

Detention Facility

“We do need a new jail. The jail needs to be modernized – it needs to be brought into the 21^st century,” Walker said.

Accountability

“We want your best effort at all times, even if you make a mistake. As long as you acknowledge that mistake and it’s an honest mistake, we can work around that. That’s not a problem. We’re all human.”

Walker said the sheriff ultimately has the responsibility for his officers’ actions, “I can’t control what the deputies do, but I can control how I administer the application of disciplinary action of the sheriff’s office.” He said anyone indicted for a crime, especially one that involved the sheriff’s office, would be suspended without pay. “It’s not fair to have someone being paid and not doing their job,” he said.

“I believe you’re innocent until proven guilty…if you’re charged, it doesn’t mean you’re guilty…you will have your day in court. It’s not my job to judge you, but I’m not going to have you in a position that you could possibly influence people who may be involved in this case one way or another. The scales of justice are supposed to be blind,” he said.

“Nobody should be putting their fingers on the scales of justice to tip it one way or the other. If there’s enough information out there for you to be indicted, then we put it before your peers and the citizens of Vance County to judge whether you are innocent or guilty. I will stand by that until the day I meet my Maker.”

Walker had to take a medical retirement in 2017 as a result of injuries received in a motor vehicle accident – an impaired driver going 100 mph struck his car as he was on the way to the office to check evening reports.

Now, after several years of physical therapy, Walker said “I’m back, I’m strong and I’m able…ready to come out of retirement and offer my skill set to the citizens of Vance County.”

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Curtis R. Brame

Curtis R. Brame is running for a second term as sheriff of Vance County. He faces Democrat Sterlin M. Walker, Jr. in the May 17 primary. In an interview that aired Thursday on Town Talk, Brame spoke with John C. Rose about his first term and what his hopes to continue working on if re-elected.

The 37-year-veteran of law enforcement said he is the only candidate who currently is a sworn officer of the law. “I’m experienced, honest, trustworthy and approachable.”

Brame has had to deal with several incidences involving sheriff’s officer personnel, and he said that each incident was dealt with in a transparent manner. He has called the SBI in for help with investigations and other outside agencies “to be fair and impartial.”

As for the issues facing the sheriff’s office and the citizens of Vance County, Brame said the opioid epidemic and gun violence are top concerns.

He said parents come to talk to him and ask what can be done about the opioid problem; “I feel for them, I really do,” he said. But the death by distribution is a hard case to charge and a hard case to prove, he added. “I will continue to work hard to make sure that people are brought to justice for selling narcotics in this county,” Brame said.

He implored people to get involved and to report incidents they see in the community. “Report it. Call 911,” he said.

Brame said part of his job as sheriff is to build rapport within the community, and he said that work is going great. “I have an open door policy,” he said, adding that citizens are welcome to call, email, text or meet with him to discuss issues. “I personally call that person back and see what’s going on and try to meet those needs,” he said.

“I go to the churches and civic organizations – I try to go to any meeting that I’m invited to and talk,” Brame added.

The sheriff is viewed as the chief law enforcement officer of the county, and Brame said he tries not to confuse power with authority. His job gives him authority to enforce the laws of the country, but the power belongs only to God.

Pay options

Brame said he has had many conversations with county commissioners and with the county manager about pay options for officers. The sheriff’s office has multiple openings, and he says his office is not alone. “Now we have jobs and people are just not applying for them,” he said. “I  hope this pay study goes into effect the first of July and attracts new employees to the Vance County Sheriff’s Office,” he said.

Detention Center

The detention center is “antiquated and outdated,” Brame said, adding that he will continue to push for a new facility as long as he is sheriff. The current facility is unsafe for employees and for inmates. Brame acknowledges that a new facility will be costly, but he said a new facility could cut staffing costs. “I want the people to understand there’s a desperate need for a new detention facility,” Brame said.

Administration

The role of sheriff is a 24/7 commitment, Brame said. He deals with 110 fulltime employees, dozens of part-time employees and more than 100 inmates at any given time – not to mention the safety and welfare of the county’s 47,000 residents. “The administrative part is very, very important,” Brame said. He has a $10 million budget to work with and administer, and then there’s the court system, enforcement and corrections.

It’s not for the faint of heart,” Brame said.

When asked what he would do if he were king for a day, Brame didn’t hesitate with an answer: “I would make sure that all of Vance County employees are well compensated.” He said the detention staff is equally important as sworn officers and he considers all employees of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office as part of the same team.

Personnel challenges

Brame addressed several incidences involving sheriff’s office employees.

A School Resource Officer (SRO) at the middle school was involved in an incident. “I think it was handled appropriately,” he said. The school board attorney notified Brame on a Friday and the SRO was first suspended and then fired the following Monday. The SBI came in, he was formally charged, came to court and pled guilty, Brame recalled.

A second incident involved a deputy who was charged with inappropriately touching a person in his custody. Again, the SBI was called in, the deputy was fired and charged. His case is pending in the Vance County Courts.

As for the third incident that has resulted in the indictment of three sheriff’s office employees, Brame said he is bound by a gag order issued by the state of North Carolina. “I know the DA went before the grand jury and they were indicted,” Brame said. The three were suspended with pay, pending the outcome of the proceedings.

“In the state of North Carolina, a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty,” Brame said. “I have not found those facts yet to say those officers are guilty. What information I had on my investigation proves different and contradictory to the state’s evidence.”

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Click Play for Full and Unedited Audio of Both Candidates