Orange County Sheriff

Chapel Hill-Carrboro NAACP Queries Police Chiefs and Sheriff on Racial Equity

During its regular monthly meeting, the Chapel Hill-Carrboro branch of the North Carolina NAACP hosted Chief Walter Horton of the Carrboro Police Department, Chief Chris Blue of the Chapel Hill Police Department, and Sheriff Charles Blackwood for a discussion of law enforcement issues. A diverse group of more than 50 people attended, including many members of the NAACP and other local social justice advocates. Orange County commissioner and civil rights attorney Mark Dorosin, Chapel Hill Town Council member Maria Palmer, and Carrboro alderperson Damon Seils also attended.

The NAACP solicited questions in advance and posed them to each of the three law enforcement administrators in turn, and then questions were taken from the audience via index card. The questions focused on racial disparities in police stops, searches, and arrests on our streets and in our schools; the implicit bias that contributes to those disparities; de-escalation and use of force; and how to bring complaints to the attention of law enforcement.

Where Are The Six Armored Personnel Carriers?

Two weeks ago, we in Orange County, NC learned that six armored personnel carriers had been made available to law enforcement in our county. We are told, two weeks later, that elected officials within our county are still trying to track them down. Still trying. Two weeks later.

Let me deal with the immediate, and then I'll wax about conspiracy.

The immediate: I can forgive elected officials for not knowing where six armored personnel carriers might be. Maybe. Just. But, after two weeks, if you truly can not find them, and do not know what to say to your citizens about them, then you have no business serving.

Someone sold them. Someone bought them. Someone has a receipt. Some body of elected officials looked at some document saying, we want 'em, or we bought 'em.

And if not the latter, then who exactly is policing the police in our county, and cf. no business serving.

Unless, and here is where we get to conspiracy.

I remember back in 2011, when SWAT was deployed in Chapel Hill, to the anger, consternation, bemusement of the citizenry. As in, really, we have a team like that, why?

Election Map 2014: Orange County Sheriff Runoff

Charles Blackwood and David Caldwell faced off in a second Democratic primary election Tuesday to determine who will be Orange County's first new sheriff in more than 30 years.

The map below shows the precinct-level results of this runoff election. The results are shown as the ratio of votes for Blackwood to votes for Caldwell. (As usual, these preliminary precinct-level results are inaccurate to the extent that early votes may have differed from votes cast on election day. See the raw numbers in this Google spreadsheet. Thanks to Damon Seils for providing the map.)

A total of 8413 Orange County residents voted out of a possible 91,173. So, only 9.23% of voters participated in choosing our next sheriff.

Election Day Open Thread

Today is runoff day across Orange County!

Democrats in all precincts have the chance to choose between Charles Blackwood and David Caldwell in the Democratic primary for Sheriff while Republicans in the northern part of the county can vote to choose the Republican nominee for Congress in North Carolina's 6th district. Unaffiliated voters who voted in the May 6th primary may only vote the same party in today's runoff. Unaffiliated voters who did not vote on May 6th can vote today and, if applicable, choose which party ballot they wish to cast. A total of 1519 voters cast their ballots early at the Board of Elections office in Hillsborough.

What are you seeing at the polls today? I was voter #1 at Smith Middle School just after 6:30am this morning with no other voters in sight.

Results will be posted online after polls close at 7:30pm tonight.

As The Runoff Election Approaches, A Look Back At Our Sheriff's Forum

Early voting for the Orange County Sheriff’s Run-off between David Caldwell and Charles Blackwood kicks off this Thursday. Below are excerpted answers from Blackwood and Caldwell from the OrangePolitics’ Sheriff’s Forum.
 

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