Tag Archive for: #vancecountysheriffsoffice

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Sheriff, jail staff working to fix problems noted in state inspection

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners is scheduled to hear a report about the recent state inspection of the county jail at their meeting Monday, Jan. 10.

Although the biannual inspection contained numerous findings regarding the state of the facility, the director’s report indicates that all deficiencies have either been corrected or are close to being corrected.

Vance County Detention Director Maj. John Shelton prepared a three-page response to the inspection, which was conducted on Dec. 1, 2021 by an inspector from N.C. Health and Human Services.

Most of the findings have to do with the actual jail building and include issues like peeling paint, rusty vents in cells and damaged glass. Sheriff Curtis R. Brame told WIZS News that the county just needs a new detention center.

“The one that serves our county is old, outdated, antiquated and unsafe for both staff and detainees,” Brame said in an email.

The peeling paint and rusty vents are both the result of condensation on exterior walls, Shelton noted in his report. “Over the years, the mildew has been painted over rather that the source being eliminated. That has caused the paint to bubble up and peel away,” the report stated.

Dehumidifiers have been placed throughout the facility and the plan is to install a vent fan to pull moisture out, as well as address any air flow issues. Once the moisture problem has been fixed, the walls will be scraped and re-painted. But that work will have to be contracted out because the jail has no maintenance person and there currently are no “suitable trustees to help,” the report stated.

Staffing shortages are the result of another finding by the state inspector in the supervision category. Regulations state that inmates be observed “at least two times within a 60-minute period on an irregular basis with not more than 40 minutes between rounds.”

A records review during the inspection found that this was not the case on at least one occasion.

The sheriff’s office report said there are not enough detention officers available to make sure each squad is fully staffed. Three squads have only three detention officers and a fourth squad only has two. The authorized staffing level is seven per squad.

“We have been offering paid overtime to detention officers and deputies to fill some of the vacant blocks of time, particularly at night and on the weekends,” Shelton stated in the report. A lieutenant has been put in charge of monitoring the rounds and taking disciplinary action when necessary.

Other issues that were identified are:

  • Inoperable fixtures, but Shelton said that the lights in the female dorm had not been turned on at the switch. “Once those lights were switched on, they worked as designed.” The bulbs that are not working in Segregation Cell 3 will be changed once the bits arrive that are needed to unscrew the bolts of the tamper-proof fixture, the report stated.
  • Perry Glass will install new Lexan to replace the damaged laminated glass in Segregation Cell 1.
  • A missing ceiling tile in a storage area has been replaced.
  • An outside  camera is not working, and Shelton noted that it had been damaged in a storm. The camera vendor has been contacted.
  • Dieticians at Maria Parham Health have been contacted to consult with planning menus for detainees.

The Local Skinny! Domestic Violence Awareness Event Scheduled For Oct. 23

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Sheriff Curtis Brame R. Brame and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office is teaming up with Clearview Church in Henderson to provide a program designed to remember victims of domestic violence as well as to raise awareness within the community about a problem that is all-too-prevalent.

The public is invited to the third annual “Think Community” event, set for Saturday, Oct. 23 at 3 p.m., according to Debbie Scott, domestic violence coordinator and gang resource specialist with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.

This event is all about collaboration, she told Bill Harris on Thursday’s The Local Skinny! segment.

Raleigh’s new police chief, Estella Patterson, is scheduled to be the keynote speaker, Scott said, and the event will pay special tribute to a young woman – a survivor of domestic violence – who also happens to be a poet. Special musical guests will be Roy Burroughs & Work in Progress.

Domestic violence affects the whole community, she said, adding that this event can help community members learn how to spot signs of domestic violence and better deal with the associated challenges.

It’s so important to break the silence of domestic violence, she said, to alleviate the stigma and the shame that victims may feel.

“It’s about everybody,” Scott noted. “This challenge is not just a survivor’s issue – it’s a community issue.

It’s community sponsors like Betty B’s, the Optimist Club, Salvation Army and Vance-Granville Community College and others who help make this annual event a success. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Scott thanked the sponsors and Dr. Abidan Shah, pastor of Clearview Church, for their ongoing support.

Clearview Church is located at 3485 Hwy 158 Business, Henderson, NC 27537.

For more information contact  Scott at 252.738.2235 or by email at dscott@vancecounty.org.

Vance County Sheriff's Office

Vance Co. Sheriff’s Office Presenting Domestic Violence Awareness Event

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Think Community, the Third Annual Domestic Violence Awareness Event, hosted by Sheriff Curtis R. Brame, the Vance Co. Sheriff’s Office and Dr. Abidan Shah, pastor of Clearview Church, will be held on Saturday, Oct. 23rd at 3pm at Clearview Church, 3485 US Highway 158 in Henderson. Keynote speaker will be Chief Estella Patterson of the Raleigh Police Department. Special guest community choir will be Roy Burroughs & Work in Progress. Refreshments will be provided by Clearview Church. For more information contact Debbie K. Scott, Gang Resource Officer/Domestic Violence, with the Vance Co. Sheriff’s Office at 252-738-2235 or by email at dscott@vancecounty.org.

Support ‘Shop With A Cop’ Project – Buy A Ticket For Chance To Win Cash Prize

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The “Shop With a Cop” program kicked off Wednesday, and there are 180 opportunities to help make the project a success.

This year marks the sixth year that the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office to raise money for local law enforcement to go Christmas shopping with underprivileged youth in the community.

Chamber President Michele Burgess said she is pleased to report that many sponsors are helping to provide financial support, which means that at least $5,000 will be raised for the shopping spree that will take place in December at the Walmart in Henderson.

In addition to sponsors, there are 180 tickets available for purchase. The number of the ticket is the price you pay, and four winners will be drawn. The top prize is $2,000, followed by prizes of $1,000, $500 and $200, according to the Chamber.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase a ticket, or purchase a ticket from members of the Chamber board as well as from members of the police department and sheriff’s office.

Burgess said she hopes all tickets will be sold by Oct. 22 – the drawing for the cash prizes is scheduled for Nov. 10.

It remains to be seen whether the Nov. 10 event will be a small event like last year, or whether it can be larger, as in 2019 when the community gathered at Sadie’s Coffee Corner to hear the winners announced.

The real winners, of course, are the children who get to shop with a cop in December.

“They will actually go with a policeman or a law enforcement person to Walmart and they’ll be able to pick their gifts,” Burgess said.

The children get to have fun and have positive interaction with a law enforcement officer, and the officers get quality one-on-one time with a young citizen, she added.

Burgess is especially appreciative of the support from sponsors and said one sponsor reported that he had always had a great Christmas, and wanted to make sure that children in the community had a similar experience.

Contact the Chamber at 252.438.8414 to learn more or visit www.hendersonvance.org.

The Local Skinny! Evictions May Be On The Rise With Moratorium Lifted

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The moratorium on evictions has been lifted, and Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame has some advice for renters and property owners.

Although there may be some allowances for renters who live in properties that receive federal funding, ordinary renters and property owners should take note that in North Carolina, property owners who are not receiving rental income may now legally pursue eviction procedures for tenants who are in arrears.

John C. Rose talked about the moratorium on Thursday’s The Local Skinny! program on WIZS at 11:45 a.m. after speaking with Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.

The moratorium was put in place in 2020 when COVID-19 pandemic restrictions created financial hardships because employees were out of work. That moratorium has been extended a few different times.

But Brame wants residents to be aware that the moratorium has been lifted, and he encourages renters who may be out of compliance to do their best to keep up with their rent payments and to communicate with property owners if there’s a problem.

Brame’s office has two officers – one sergeant and one deputy – who specialize in dealing with eviction notices.

Now that the moratorium has been lifted, Brame said property owners once again can begin the process of serving eviction notices for renters who are behind in payments.

Tenants should try to stay current with their rent payments and to take care of the property they are occupying, he said.

In North Carolina, it is the job of the sheriff’s office to serve eviction notices and without moratoriums in place, property owners are going to be playing catch-up from the last year. But nobody likes to be the one knocking on the door with an eviction notice in hand.

Once an eviction process has started, the tenant is really at the mercy of the property owner.

Now is the time to be in front of this and make sure everything is in place. It can take anywhere between 10 days and 90 days to complete the eviction process, and it is the sheriff’s office’s job to make sure people and belongings have been cleared out once the process is complete.

But, no doubt, there are going to be some of those knocks on doors delivering news that no tenant wants to hear.

“Shop With A Cop” Program Seeks Sponsors For Annual Holiday Event

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Summer is in full swing, its sweltering temps encouraging folks to stay inside in the air conditioning. But it won’t be too long before summer gives way to cooler weather that will usher in the holiday season.

And in the middle of this heat, the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce is preparing for the annual “Shop with a Cop” scheduled for December. This is the sixth year that the Chamber has partnered with local law enforcement agencies and area businesses to make the event possible.

The Chamber is asking for sponsors to join Maria Parham Health to help make this event a success. Again this year, MPH has stepped up to be the presenting sponsor, according to information from Sandra Wilkerson, director of administration and events for the Chamber.  The goal is to raise at least $5,000 from sponsors so members of the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office can take underprivileged youth in the community Christmas shopping.

The shopping spree will take place at the local Walmart, and the Chamber is partnering with law enforcement and local business to continue to build the community partnership.

The campaign kicks off on Sept. 22. Contact Wilkerson at sandra@hendersonvance.org or 252.438.8414 to learn more.

The three sponsorship levels are gold, silver and bronze.

For $1,000, Gold Sponsors get their name on a ticket board, company recognition on social media at the live kickoff event and raffle drawing, as well as recognition in Chamber publications and on the actual shopping day.

Silver Sponsors, for $750, get their name on the ticket board, recognition on the social media live kickoff event and raffle drawing, and recognition on the day of the shopping spree.

And for $500, Bronze Sponsors get their name on the ticket board, and recognition at the live kickoff event on social media.

Vance County Sheriff's Office

Vance Co. Sheriff’s Office Investigates Homicide

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On June 11th, 2021 around 4pm, 911 Central dispatched the Vance County Sheriff’s Office deputies to 519 Fields Ave. in Henderson to check on a resident’s welfare.

Upon arrival, the family member that called 911 met the deputies. The deputies, along with the family member, approached the residence to check on the occupant. No one answered the knock on the door or responded when deputies called out.

Upon entering the residence, deputies detected a pungent odor.  Moving further into the residence, deputies discovered a body that was later identified as Hiawatha Nicholson, a black male, age 73.

The Vance County Sheriff’s Office along with the State Bureau of Investigations are investigating the death of Mr. Nicholson as a homicide.

Please contact the Vance Co. Sheriff’s Office with any information leading to the arrest and conviction of suspects in the death of Mr. Nicholson.  The Vance Co. Sheriff’s Office may be reached at 252-738-2200

Pair Arrested by Vance County Sheriff’s Office and Charged with Drug-Related Offenses

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Press Release courtesy Sheriff Curtis Brame —

On February 10, 2021, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Unit and Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team executed a search warrant at 385 Julian Smith Road Lot 3, Henderson, North Carolina 27537.

Arrested at the scene were Tevin Lee Daye, Age 28 and Janeika Shadia Speed, Age 24, for Possession With Intent to Manufacture Sell and Deliver Heroin, Possession With Intent to Manufacture Sell and Deliver Cocaine and Possession With Intent to Manufacture Sell and Deliver Marijuana.

Daye’s bond was set at $90,000.00 and Speed’s bond was set at $75,000.00. They are scheduled to appear in Vance County District Court on March 15, 2021.

This investigation is continuing.

Local News Audio

WIZS Noon News 12-30-20: Arrests, Garbage Collection; School Audit; Gold!

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WIZS Noon News 12-30-20:

 

Vance County Sheriff’s Office Charges Against Suspects

New Year’s Garbage Collection in Henderson

Granville County Public Schools Good Audit

GOLD!! Local Gold in Franklin County

 

Click Play For WIZS Local News Audio…

 

18 Year Old Suspect Arrested On Four Drug Charges

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— courtesy of press release from Sheriff Curtis Brame

On December 23, 2020, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team served a search warrant at 252 New Bethel Church Road Lot 16 and Lot 26, Henderson, North Carolina 27537.

Arrested at Lot 16 was Djhante Blash, B/M, Age 18. Blash was charged with Maintaining a Dwelling, Possession of Marijuana and 2 counts of Trafficking Heroin. Recovered from Lot 26 were 3 assault rifles. Blash received a $125,000.00 bond and a court date was set for January 11, 2021, in Vance County District Court. This investigation is continuing.