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Henderson County Sheriff's Office Newsletter
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May 2016
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In my past messages, I have acknowledged the emphasis that the Henderson County Sheriff, my deputies, staff, and volunteers, place on ethics, professionalism, and the seven core values that we adhere to in the performance of our duties. We acknowledge that we are to be held to a higher standard than most, and we should require those standards of one another. Recently I became aware of a suggested Code of Ethics for the Office of the Sheriff that is endorsed by the North Carolina Sheriff's Association. I feel that the rendition of that code that follows, captures fully the intentions of my heart and therefore I tender it as my pledge as your Sheriff.
To the citizens of Henderson County:
As a constitutionally elected sheriff, I recognize and accept that I am given a special trust and confidence by the citizens and employees whom I have been elected to serve, represent, and manage. This trust and confidence is my bond to ensure that I shall behave and act according to the highest personal and professional standards. In furtherance of this pledge, I will abide by the following Code of Ethics.
I shall ensure that I and my employees, in the performance of our duties, will enforce and administer the law according to the standards of the U.S. Constitution and applicable state constitutions and statutes so that equal protection of the law is guaranteed to everyone. To that end I shall not permit personal opinion, party affiliations, or consideration of the status of others to alter or lessen this standard treatment of others.
I shall establish, promulgate, and enforce a set of standards of behavior of my employees which will govern the overall management and operation of the law enforcement functions, court related activities, and jail operations of my agency.
I shall not tolerate nor condone brutal or inhumane treatment of others by my employees nor shall I permit or condone inhumane or brutal treatment of inmates in my care and custody.
I strictly adhere to standards of fairness and integrity in the conduct of campaigns for election and I shall conform to all applicable statutory standards of election financing and reporting so that the Office of Sheriff is not harmed by my actions or the actions of others.
I shall routinely conduct or have conducted an internal and external audit of the public funds entrusted to my care.
I shall follow the accepted principles of efficient and effective administration and management as the principle criteria for my judgments and decisions in the allocation of resources and services in law enforcement, court related, and jail functions of my office.
I shall hire and promote only those employees or others who are the very best candidates for a position according to accepted standards of objectivity and merit. I shall not permit other factors to influence hiring or promotion practice.
I shall ensure that all employees are granted and receive relevant training and supervision in the performance of their duties so that competent and excellent service is provided by the Office of Sheriff.
I shall ensure that during my tenure as sheriff, I shall not use the Office of Sheriff for private gain. I accept and adhere to this code of ethics.
In so doing, I also accept responsibility for encouraging others in my profession to abide by this Code.
I shall always endeavor to adhere faithfully to these promises to the best of my abilities, so help me God.
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National
Correctional Officers Week
Thank you to our Detention Officers and Detention Staff for the work they do. These men and women are not as visible to the public as our Patrol Deputies, but they have the very important job of providing for the safety and security of the inmates housed in the Detention Facility.
May 1-7, 2016
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Rabies Vaccination Clinic for Dogs
Henderson County Animal Services and Henderson County Veterinarians are sponsoring a clinic where the public can vaccinate their dogs for a reduced fee of only
$8 per dog.
Our Animal Enforcement Deputies cannot stress how important it is to keep your pets' vaccinations up to date!
May 2-7, 2016
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WTZQ
Radio Interview
Listen to a live interview on WTZQ celebrating our Detention Officers during National Correctional Officers Week.
May 6th
9:00am
AM 1600
FM 95.3
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Houses of Worship Safety and Security Class
The Henderson County Sheriff's Office is providing a free seminar on Church Security. The presentation will help attendees know what to expect and how to make their place of worship a safe and peaceful place.
Forms can also be accessed by visiting
hendersonsheriff.org
and choosing the SCORE class button under the Citizen Program tab.
May 26th
6-8pm
HCSO
Training Room
100 North Grove St.
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Kindergarten Readiness Rally
Henderson County School Resource Deputies Pierce and Geyer got to meet some future law enforcement officers at the Kindergarten Readiness Rally held at Blue Ridge Mall.
Our SRDs helped parents sign up to receive Nixle Emergency Alerts on their cell phones. You can sign up on the
Nixle website or by texting your zipcode to 888777.
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Shining Light Award
The Henderson County Sheriff's Office and Sheriff McDonald were presented with the Shining Light Award from Safelight for their offender focused domestic violence initiative.
Both Safelight and HCSO are utilizing their strengths to attack domestic violence from all sides with the ultimate goal of holding offenders accountable and freeing victims from the chains of violence and abuse.
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VIPs
Meet our Tuesday and Thursday morning VIP Fingerprint Staff!
Bob, Ray and Rick aren't usually as serious as they are in this photo...
Bruce, Carolyn and John are all smiles as usual.
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CADET
Cadet Speyer and Cadet Commeaux were great representatives of our Cadet Program at a recent command team meeting.
These young men are interested in careers in the military and law enforcement. They explained how being Cadets have expanded their law enforcement knowledge and developed their leadership skills.
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Emergency Preparedness
Class
Evidence Custodian Julie Kidd gave a great EP class this month.
She covered a wide variety of information and had examples of 'shelter in place' kits, vehicle kits, and 'go-bag' kits (in the event someone was forced to leave their home.)
To get information on how to build your emergency kits visit
Ready.gov.
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High School Shadow Program
Students from East, Hendersonville, North, West and Balfour were welcomed by Sheriff McDonald before they toured the Sheriff's Office.
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Edneyville
Career Day
Deputies had a great time at Edneyville Elementary's Career Day!
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WTZQ Interview
During National
Public Safety Telecommunicators Week HCSO was live on the air! Listen to the interview with Sheriff McDonald, Communications Director Stanley, and Telecommunicator Broadway.
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Special Olympics
HCSO Deputies participated in the Highway Patrol led Law Enforcement Torch Run to kick off this year's Special Olympics.
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Hillandale 4th Grade Book Club
This group of 4th graders read the book 'Three Times Lucky' which contains a fictional detective trying to solve a mystery.
The students toured the Sheriff's Office and spoke to real life detective Captain Corthell who answered questions and gave them a tour of the Crime Lab.
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Etowah Lions Club
Thank you to our friends at the Etowah Lions Club for inviting the Sheriff's Office to speak to them about crime reduction statistics, crime prevention tips and community programs offered by HCSO.
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Get connected
Reply to this email if you have any questions or feedback!
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Each month we would like to celebrate a few of the achievements and victories of our employees.
The Henderson County
Sheriff's
Office
is proud to announce that
Sergeant Gary Cox
recently completed the Tactical Training Certificate Program at the North Carolina Justice Academy.
"Sergeant Cox's completion of this program is a testament to the dedication he has to his team members and his community," says Sheriff Charles McDonald. "We are living in a time when law enforcement must remain vigilant to a variety of threats. The hours Sergeant Cox has committed to expanding his knowledge and training will serve him well, as well as the squad he supervises."
This certificate program is designed to recognize the achievement of law enforcement professionals who have dedicated themselves to making their communities and neighborhoods safer for the citizens of North Carolina. Program participants must be sworn members of a law enforcement agency and have at least two years of full-time law enforcement experience. Each participant must complete 500 hours of training within five years of acceptance into the program, to include a variety of tactical oriented courses.
Floyd Yoder,
Training
Coordinator with the Justice
Academy, as well as the program coordinator says, "The commitment of Sergeant Gary Cox to complete this program is a direct example of his dedication to protect the community in which he serves. His effort to stay in the forefront of tactical training is a direct reflection on the commitment of the Henderson County Sheriff's Office to ensure that their officers are prepared to meet the day-to-day dangers faced by law enforcement officers today."
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Detective Matt Orr
was
recently
honored
for his significant contributions to assisting crime victims by the Western North Carolina Crime Victims' Coalition and the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The recognition event commemorating national Victims' Rights Week was held on Monday, April 25th at the AB Tech campus.
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Congratulations to
Detective Josh Albertson who was awarded the 2016 Shield Award presented by the Knights of Columbus. The other recipients were Paramedic Matt Whitmire, Officer Tony Valdibia from the Hendersonville Police Department, Firefighter Ted Barnett and Chief Joseph Vindigni of the Hendersonville Fire Department. Henderson County and the City of Hendersonville are lucky to have these men keeping us safe!
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Captain Corthell, Detective Albertson & Sheriff McDonald
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STAR Snapshot
Spring has sprung and with it has begun a new Sheriffs Teaching Abuse Resistance (STAR) curriculum for our fifth graders across Henderson County. The STAR program, which has taken the place of DARE in Henderson County, was developed on the local level and will reach approximately 750 students this year.
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Cpl. Jesse Blankenship teaching a STAR lesson to
Hillandale 5th graders
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"The STAR program was developed with our community partners," says Sergeant Ricky Bishop. Hope Rx, School Nurses, School Counselors, Teachers, Public School Administration, and the Deputy Sheriffs working in the schools came together to create this program. Bishop goes on to say, "With a team like this the students are going to benefit from various sources of knowledge and experience. It is great to see so many people in Henderson County come together for our students' health and safety."
Sergeant Bishop taught DARE in Henderson County for over twenty years. He says DARE provided a good basis for kids, but applauds the new STAR program because it addresses specific issues affecting our Henderson County schools. The program can be changed to match current concerns with drugs and violence among local youth as times and trends change.
Some of the topics covered in the program include marijuana, alcohol, prescription drugs, cyber bullying, and human trafficking. Bishop teaches STAR and also supervises the Sheriff's Office team of School Resource Deputies (SRDs) who are working daily in the schools with the students. "My team of SRDs and I are so excited about what we are teaching."
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Deputy Lorie Levi following a STAR class at
Glenn Marlow Elementary
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Deputy Lorie Levi is the STAR instructor at Edneyville and Glenn Marlow Elementary Schools. "The
most memorable thing for me was how excited and eager all of the kids were to learn and how they all responded and interacted in the class," says Levi. "I believe that if we encourage and inspire our youth to make good positive choices when it comes to any kind of abuse we have given them hope in their future and hope for our community's future. You can never go wrong by encouraging someone to be extraordinary!"
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Deputy Steve Geyer and some of his Mills River students
having fun at the STAR Jam
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In April, the School Resource Deputies hosted a 'STAR Jam' at Flat Rock Middle School. The after school activity allowed fifth graders to dance, eat and hang out in a safe and drug free environment. Proceeds will benefit a summer STAR day camp that 400 fifth graders will be able to attend.
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If you have an emergency and dial 911, who is the person answering the phone?
If you call inside Henderson County, your call comes to the Henderson County E911 Center located at the Henderson County Sheriff's Office.
National Public Safety Telecommunicators week occurred during the month of April. In celebration of our 911 staff, we would like to remind the public of information and tips that will help you AND your Telecommunicator in emergency and non-emergency situations.
911 CENTER FACTS
HCSO Telecommunicators are the primary public safety answering point for 911 calls in Henderson County. In addition to answering administrative telephone calls for the Sheriff's Office, these men and women provide dispatch services for the following agencies:
- Henderson County Sheriff's Office
- Fletcher Police Department
- Laurel Park Police Department
- Mills River Deputy
- Henderson County Emergency Medical Services (Stations 1-5)
- Henderson County Rescue Squad
- 12 County Fire Departments
- Hendersonville Fire Department
- North Carolina Forest Service
(If a call comes in from within the city limits of Hendersonville, the call is transferred to the Hendersonville Police Department.)
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Team Leader Cook and Telecommunicator Julien
process and dispatch 911 calls
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In 2015, the Henderson County 911 Center processed approximately 200,000 telephone calls and recorded 134,168 total calls for service. In order to field and dispatch this large call volume, the 911 Center is staffed by twenty Telecommunicators who work rotating, twelve-hour shifts and four Call Takers who work peak shifts during the daytime.
WHEN SHOULD I DIAL 911?
While there is no definitive list of reasons to call 911, it's important to remember that dialing 911 is for emergencies only. Here are some examples of when to call 911:
- To stop a crime in progress
- To report a fire of any kind
- To report an injury or serious medical problem
- To report a traffic accident
- To report any situation where a prompt response is required to protect life or property
WHEN SHOULD I USE THE NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER?
828-697-4911 is a ten digit non-emergency number which you can dial 24 hours a day for non-emergency help. Using the non-emergency number keeps 911 available for true emergencies. Here are some examples of when you should call the non-emergency number:
- A crime that did not occur recently
- A non-urgent request to meet with an officer
- Extra security requests
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Telecommunicator Martin at his station in the 911 Center
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WHAT IF I CALL 911 BY MISTAKE?
Do not disconnect before speaking with the call taker. Just stay on the line so you can let the call taker know that everything is ok. If you do not stay on the line, a Deputy will be dispatched to your location.
Make sure your children and grandchildren know how to dial 911 from your home phone and cell phone. Ensure children know their name, parent's name, their address, and that calling 911 should only be used in emergency situations.
WHY DO THE TELECOMMUNICATORS ASK SO MANY QUESTIONS WHEN I JUST WANT THEM TO HURRY AND SEND SOMEONE?
Please remember that Telecommunicators are highly trained public safety professionals that have attended numerous hours of training to help them process calls quickly and accurately. The questions they ask guide them in determining the best way to handle your emergency. A common misconception is that help is not sent until the caller is disconnected. This is not the case. The emergency is dispatched as soon as the initial call information is received. Remember, Telecommunicators work as a team. While one is obtaining your information, another is often sending the appropriate help.
Do your best to stay calm and speak clearly. Be prepared to tell the Telecommunicator your location and answer all the questions they ask.
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Call Taker Bryant, Telecommunicator Brackett, and
Call Taker Aiken at the end of a shift
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CAN I TEXT 911 IF I AM UNABLE TO CALL?
Yes! If you are in an emergency situation and cannot call 911 (due to the nature of the emergency or if you are hard of hearing, deaf or speech impaired) you can text 911 as an alternative. The numbers '911' should be entered in the 'To' field and the message should contain the location of the emergency and they type of help needed. Dialing 911 and speaking with a Telecommunicator is always preferable. Call if you can, ONLY text if you can't.
WHAT CAN I DO TO PREPARE BEFORE AN EMERGENCY OCCURS?
One way to assist your Telecommunicator is to fill out a Smart911 profile BEFORE you experience an emergency. Smart911 is a FREE program used to provide first responders with important information that could be critical in saving lives. Your information is secure and only accessible by the Telecommunicator in the event you call 911.
With Smart911, you can add key information about members of your household that would assist first responders in the event of an emergency, whether the call is from the home or any mobile phone. There are options to include information about your home, medications, health issues, vehicles, pets and other things that could save precious seconds in an emergency.
WTZQ host Mark Warwick interviewed
Telecommunicator Mark Broadway, Communications Director Lisha Stanley, and Sheriff McDonald as part of National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week.
https://youtu.be/r9pG5kCbygA
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Sheriff's Citizens Academy 2016
The 20th class of the Henderson County Sheriff's Citizens Academy graduated thirty-five new members at a commencement dinner on April 29, 2016.
"This year's academy consisted of an inquisitive group of civic minded individuals," said Sheriff McDonald. "Over thirteen weeks they got to know the men and women of the Henderson County Sheriff's Office and see first-hand the passion and professionalism each one brings to their position."
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2016 SCA graduates with Sheriff McDonald and
SCA Director Barry Brown
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Instructional and educational opportunities included tours of the Detention Center, the 911 Communications Center and the Sheriff's Office.
Classroom instruction and discussion covered numerous topics, including CID (Criminal Investigation Division), Criminal Activity Statistics, Forensics (CSI), STAR Program, Victim Assistance, Domestic Violence, Patrol, Drug Suppression, K-9 teams, Animal Enforcement laws and ordinances, Emergency Preparedness, Emergency Medical Services, Fire Marshall Duties, Emergency Management, 911 Communications, SWAT, Bomb Squad, Use of Force and Decision Making, VirTra demonstration, CCW Process, and the VIP and Cadet programs. All these topics and more were covered with ample time for questions and answers.
"I only teach a couple of blocks of instruction during the class," said Sheriff McDonald. "The remainder are taught by my Deputies, Supervisors, Division Leaders and Support Staff." Sheriff McDonald likes to sit in on the classes and see the interaction between his staff and the citizens in the class. "It is always nice to be reminded of how proficient these men and women are at what they do. Not only are they knowledgeable, but they care about sharing the nuances of their job with our community and the people they've sworn to protect and serve."
The class concluded with a graduation dinner at The Cedars on April 29, with many distinguished guests and guest speaker Ruth Birge of the Hendersonville Lightning and Vision Henderson County. Birge made some lighthearted and entertaining comparisons between law enforcement and the press before speaking on the importance of volunteerism.
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Images from the graduation ceremony
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The graduates of this class are: Mickey Amberg, Mani Baluchi, Vincent Barr, Elaine Bishop, Earl Bishop, Dave Brauner, Melanie Carleton, Mike Cervini, Camille Condon, Tracy Fletcher, John Gaitskill, Ruth Garren, Claudia Gondolf, Joseph Gondolf, Merry Guy, LaVerne Hooper, Lois Karcher, Allison Nock, Ron Kauffman, Julie Kidd, Richard Kidd, Don King, Leslie Kingsbury, Hale Meserow, David Phillips, Rachel Poller, Mary Smith, Jere Smith, Gordon Stevenson, Dave Swearengen, Bertie Toler, Stephen Walker, Catherine Ware, Marsha Ann Wilkes and Robert H. Wright. The class and graduation ceremony was facilitated by Sheriff's Citizens Academy Director Barry Brown.
The next class is scheduled to start in January 2017. All classes are held at the Sheriff's Office at 100 North Grove St. Hendersonville, NC 28792. Applications and information may be picked up in the lobby at this location or accessed on the Sheriff's Office website. The completed applications may be returned by mail to the above address or left at the Reception Desk in the Sheriff's Office Lobby.
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Burn Baby Burn
Last month's Earth Day event was a great success. The Henderson County Sheriff's Office and partners TRIAD Henderson County, Entegra Bank, and Hope Rx shredded 8,500 pounds of documents and destroyed 73.55 pounds of prescription and over the counter drugs.
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VIP Tom Williams, Evidence Custodian Julie Kidd, VIP Barry Fleisher, Sergeant Ricky Bishop, and Support Services Staff Member Don Dessenberger (not pictured) did a wonderful job facilitating the event
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Sheriff Charles McDonald said, "We were happy to partner with these great organizations to cut down on identity fraud and keep prescription drugs from falling into the wrong hands. Getting these unused medications out of people's homes and safely destroyed is an important step in our county's fight against prescription drug abuse."
But where do all those pounds of drugs end up?
After being weighed and recorded, Evidence Custodian Julie Kidd along with another authorized Sheriff's Office employee take the medications to the HCSO incinerator. The medical waste incinerator was purchased with drug forfeiture funds and safely destroys the medication without harming the environment.
Since Sheriff McDonald instituted the Sheriff's Office drug disposal program, an impressive 3,284.57 pounds of medications have been incinerated instead of being flushed down commodes, buried in landfills, or stolen by abusers.
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Hope Rx's Julie Huneycutt and HCSO's Julie Kidd prepare to load drugs into the incinerator
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Community take-back events will continue to occur, but remember the Sheriff's Office accepts unused and expired medications every Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm. (We cannot accept chemotherapy drugs or needles.)
Please take the time to do some spring cleaning in your medicine cabinets!
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Did you know?
In addition to School Resource Deputies being assigned to our Henderson County Public Schools, Deputies from across the agency participate in an Adopt-a-School program.
So far, for the 2015-2016 school year, HCSO has completed 11,128 school checks. That is an average of almost 400 a week! The intention of this program is to increase random security patrols of our schools and continue to build relationships between law enforcement and our youth.
Some visits occur when a Deputy physically leaves their patrol car and enters the school to make contact with students, teachers, and administrators. Other school visits consist of extra security patrols during the day or night. A smaller amount of the visits focus on bus security, educational talks, or searches involving our K9s. All these types of school checks are recorded and monitored by our crime analyst.
We want to congratulate our Deputies from across our division for their commitment to carrying out this strategic plan initiative and their active role in protecting our schools.
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Sheriff's Office
100 North Grove Street
Hendersonville, NC 28792
(828) 697-4596
(828) 697-4613 FAX
Detention Center
375 First Avenue East
Hendersonville, NC 28792
(828) 697-4955
Communications Center
EMERGENCY 911
(828) 697-4911 non-emergency
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