Tag Archive for: #vcso

Register Now For Youth Safety Symposium Set For Friday, Sept. 25

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Plans for a day-long community symposium set for Friday, Sept. 25 in downtown Henderson have been firmed up – speakers, panelists – and food! – are nailed down, and all that’s left is to register to attend, if you haven’t already done so.

According to Debbie Scott, Vance County Sheriff’s Office’s domestic violence, gang resources educator and juvenile outreach coordinator, the symposium will bring together people from across the community to discuss youth safety, with a focus on gun violence.

“We are ready!” Scott exclaimed on the Wednesday segment of The Local Skinny!

So far, more than 70 people from Vance and surrounding counties are registered. The event is free to attend, and Scott said there’s still time to register.

The symposium is being sponsored by the Vance County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council with support from partners like Chick fil A and First United Methodist Church, the site of the event.

The church is located at 122 Church St. in downtown Henderson.

Check-in and registration is from 7:45 a.m. to 8:25 a.m. in advance of the 8:30 start time.

Following opening remarks by Nancy Hux with Vaya Health – another sponsor – Vance Schools Superintendent Dr. Destiney Ross-Putney, the Rev. Johnny LLerena (Yeh RAY nuh) from First United Methodist and Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame, Scott said the morning sessions would include updates about youth gang activity in the state and an address from Richard Mickey Hayes, a local youth advocate with a ministry called “Mickey Cares.”

There will be a question-and-answer period for a panel of experts in the session right before lunch, then the afternoon will be dedicated to discussion of existing goals and the creation of an action plan moving forward.

The symposium is dedicated to the youth of the community and beyond, Scott said.

“We do better when we come together to work to give our youth what they deserve,” she said.

“It is about making those connections and building relationships that builds partnerships, she added.

“The more people at the table, we can make the connections to the services and the resources..that they have about what we can do that works best.”

Call 252.738.2235 or email dscott@vancecounty.org to learn more.

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TownTalk: JCPC Hosts Sept. 25 Symposium On Ways To Promote Youth Safety

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The Vance County Juvenile Crime Prevention Council is hosting a one-day community driven symposium on Friday, Sept. 25 to talk about the safety of youth and to create a community action plan to support efforts to curb gun violence.

The Youth Violence & Emerging Gangs Symposium will be held in the fellowship hall of the First United Methodist Church, 114 Church St. in downtown Henderson.

Debbie Scott with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office said more than a half dozen youth-oriented organizations and agencies are partnering to put on the event in light of a shooting incident in June that took the life of a local 15-year-old and injured a second young child.

“It was a call to action…because we care,” Scott said of the tragic loss of the teenager’s life. “We needed to come together as a united front…to focus on a summit that will engage us in looking at real challenges impacting our young people in Vance County and surrounding counties,” she said.

The symposium is free to attend, but registration is required. Scott said she and the other partners invite members from all parts of the community to attend the symposium and brainstorm strategies to put into action.

“We agreed that youth safety is a community-wide responsibility. Real solutions require all of us working together,” she said. Parents, educators and law enforcement representatives are encouraged to take part in the symposium, as well as faith leaders and members of youth-related agencies.

Whether you work directly with youth or just care about the safety of your own neighborhood, it’s important to share your observations and perspectives about youth violence and crime, she said.

Planning for the event continues, but Scott said the afternoon session will center around gun violence, developing goals and solutions that will feed into creation of a community action plan.

“The key is partnership, the key is collaboration,” said Scott, who works with juvenile outreach for the sheriff’s office. She said she spends a lot of time talking with young people about healthy ways to stay away from guns, violence and crime.

Scott’s job includes outreach to schools to talk with students about the dangers of guns and gangs, but she also spends time fielding calls from family members who say they’re worried about children and grandchildren headed down the wrong path and getting involved with the wrong people.

She spends time sharing resources that are available in the area, from youth-centered programs to family counseling.

“We have so many smart, brilliant children in Vance County,” Scott said. “They have a bright future, and they deserve the best we can give them.”

Register by emailing Scott at Dscott@vancecounty.org or phone 252.738.2235.

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TownTalk: Vance County Sheriff’s Car Use

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to have Chair Carolyn Faines continue in the role for 2026. The board also elected newcomer Charisse Fain to the role of vice chair.

In making his motion to nominate Faines, Commissioner Tommy Hester told Faines she’d done an “outstanding job. I’d like to spend my last year with you as chair.”

Commissioner Leo Kelly seconded the motion.

Kelly nominated Fain to be vice chair. That motion was seconded by Hester and also was passed without objection.

After adopting the 2026 holiday, work session and meeting agendas, the commissioners heard from Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame, who appeared before the board to express his concerns about the county vehicle acceptable use policy, which was approved in September.

Before Brame’s comments, Vance County Manager C. Renee Perry told the board that liability and risk are prime concerns for her.

She cited costs the county has incurred -$212,000 in jail repairs, $690,000 in emergency pay and an $80,000 increase in liability insurance due to concerns at the jail and with the Department of Social Services handling of child welfare cases.

The county implemented one cost-saving measure during spring budget deliberations – switching to leased vehicles, including vehicles destined for the sheriff’s office.

Those vehicles remain parked and unused, however, because the manager and the sheriff cannot agree on whether deputies should be allowed to transport their children to and from school.

Perry said she and Assistant County Manager Jeremy Jones had met with Brame, who expressed concerns about the new policy. “The only issue he had with the new policy was transport of family and children,” Perry said, adding that the sheriff said he would lose staff members if that one particular benefit was taken away.

“I guess I see the issue totally different than the sheriff. I don’t want any added liability for the county,” Perry said.

Brame said he was all for the county saving money, and agreed to the idea that sheriff’s office replacement vehicles be included in the lease agreement.

But his office hasn’t been able to replace the old vehicles with the new ones because of the impasse.

Brame said that six of his office’s current vehicles have more than 131,000 miles on them. “If we continue to operate those cars, they’re not going to be any good for resale,” Brame said, adding that they will be hazardous and dangerous.

“Holding on to new cars simply because the sheriff disagrees with the county manager,  I think that’s wrong. I really do,” Brame said.

After close to half an hour of discussion and back and forth comments, Commissioner Dan Brummitt made a motion to allow deputies to continue to transport their children to and from school in their work vehicles. The motion failed for lack of a second.

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TownTalk: ‘Break the Silence, Stop the Violence’ Event at Clearview Church Oct. 25

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So often, victims of domestic violence suffer in silence, too ashamed or embarrassed to seek help or support to lead them out of an awful situation. But Debbie Scott, domestic violence educator with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, wants them to know that they are not alone, and that help is just a phone call or a conversation away.

That’s the message of the 7th annual ‘Break the Silence, Stop the Violence’ domestic violence awareness event that is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 25 at 3 p.m. at Clearview Church in Henderson.

Scott and other victim advocates have planned an afternoon of speakers who work in law enforcement and advocacy to shed more light on domestic violence and where victims can go to get help.

In addition to several speakers lined up for the event, Scott said others will share their own experiences with domestic violence. “We will have two very powerful testimonies,” she said, adding that she considers it a blessing to work with strong advocates like the women who will share their stories to make a difference in the lives of others.

Thanks to a supportive community and a lot of hard work, Scott said the number of domestic violence or dispute calls coming into the Vance County 911 center dropped 11.5 percent from the previous year.

Between Oct. 1, 2024 and Oct. 1, 2025, 911 received 1,041 calls related to domestic violence or domestic disputes. The previous year’s total was 1,177. Sexual assaults dropped by 1 – from 46 to 45, but Scott said any step forward is progress.

“Our statistics in Vance County are changing,” Scott said. “We are changing the narrative…we can break the stigma. We can break the shame.”

The Oct. 25 program is going to be a combination of education, awareness and celebration, she said.

Contact Scott at 252.738.2235 or by email at dscott@vancecounty.org

 

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Juvenile’s Self-Inflicted Gun Shot Wound Leads to Two Arrests and Juvenile Petitions

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On September 8, 2025, at approximately 5:34 p.m., officers with the Henderson Police Department responded to the 1600 block of North Garnett Street regarding a report of shots fired. Upon arrival, officers observed signs that an individual had been injured. A sixteen-year-old juvenile was located and treated by EMS at the scene for a non-life-threatening wound. The juvenile was transported to a local medical facility for further treatment.

Through further investigation, it was determined that the injury sustained by the juvenile was self-inflicted.

During the course of the investigation, officers observed a black Honda Accord leaving the area at a high rate of speed. The vehicle was stopped a short time later by deputies with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office near 2101 North Garnett Street. Four individuals were detained from the vehicle: two 17-year-old juveniles, Kyriek Alston (19), and Rashad Gray (18).

Investigators discovered that one of the juveniles and Alston were in possession of heroin. Gray was found to be in possession of marijuana. Henderson Police Department Investigators responded to assist deputies and took custody of the individuals. Two firearms were also recovered during the investigation, one is believed to have been used in this incident, and the other was confirmed to have been reported stolen.

Charges filed to date include:

  • Kyriek Alston (19): Charged with Felony Possession of Schedule I Controlled Substance. Alston was transported to the Vance County Magistrate’s Office, where he received no bond due to being on pretrial release for a separate matter. His next court appearance is scheduled for October 7, 2025. He was remanded to the Vance County Detention Facility.
  • Rashad Gray (18): Released on a citation for Simple Possession of Marijuana.
  • Juveniles: Juvenile petitions are being pursued in connection with the drug and firearm offenses.

This case remains under active investigation.

The Henderson Police Department extends its appreciation to the Vance County Sheriff’s Office for their proactive response and assistance in this matter.

— Henderson Police Department Press Release

Marcus W. Barrow
Chief of Police
Henderson Police Department
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TownTalk: Sheriff Brame Requests Extension of Support from County Commissioners

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Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame appeared before the board of commissioners on Tuesday to thank them for the financial support that allows sheriff’s office employees to give much-needed support at the detention center and to ask for an extension of that support through the end of the year.

In the past five months, County Manager C. Renee Perry said the county has paid more than $483,000. And that is an unsustainable amount, Perry told commissioners at their Tuesday meeting.

Brame contends that much of the money comes from lapsed salaries – money budgeted for positions that haven’t been filled.

“It’s still a lot of money,” Perry told commissioners. “Five hundred thousand is excessive in my opinion.”

Perry estimated that the county has paid for roughly 9,671 hours – at $50/hour to sheriff’s office employees to fill in at the jail. She suggested that the agreement be revised to exclude exempt staff. “We’ve got to get this cost down – we have to,” Perry stated.

Brame said he expects that six of the 12 new jail hires can be certified by Dec. 1.

He said it takes time for employees to be trained, much less certified, for the positions they’ve been hired for.

“Right now, we need it,” Brame told commissioners. The ongoing staffing shortage, coupled with corrective action plans in place by the state spell big challenges for the sheriff, who oversees the detention center.

The state mandated the jail be depopulated, dispersing detainees to other facilities from Cherokee County in the mountains to Brunswick County on the coast.

On any given day, up to four transport teams are traveling to fetch detainees from where they’re being housed to court here in Vance County or to medical appointments. All the while, these teams are on the clock, racking up hours in vehicles, as well as lodging and other associated costs.

The Vance County jail has between 45 and 50 detainees as of Wednesday, but that number can swell temporarily as individuals come in for court appearances and other matters related to due process. Brame said there are about 150 detainees housed in facilities across the state at this time.

Perry said there will come a time when she will have to come before the commissioners to ask them for more money for the jail situation.

“At some point, we won’t have enough money to do a jail,” she said.

Commissioner Dan Brummitt said he would like commissioners to take some time to review the current plan, “probably make some revisions to it to try to tighten the belt a little bit.”

A motion by Commissioner Tommy Hester, seconded by Brummitt, passed unanimously to table a decision until the commissioners’ work session in a couple of weeks.

 

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