Sheriff Setting Pace For Community Policing

His first week in office Sheriff Tracy Carter participated in three community policing activities. The Sheriff has directed deputies to participate in at least two community policing activities each month. He led a four unit entry in the Sanford Christmas Parade on Monday and arranged for McGruff, the crime fighting dog, to ride with him on Saturday in the Broadway Christmas Parade.

A front page story in the Sanford Herald (11/9/2006) reported that the new Sheriff visited students in the third grade at J.R. Ingram Elementary School to help them wrap up their Kids Voting program. His main message to the students was one of persever­ance. He ran for sheriff in 2000 and lost by a slim margin, but went on to win a hotly contested race last November. He also fielded questions from the students. One of the students, Michael Carter, who is of no rela­tion to the sheriff, was assigned the sheriff’s race. After researching both Carter and Democratic candidate Kevin Bryant, he happened to run into the new sheriff at Pizza Inn and asked him if he would come speak to his class, a request to which Carter readily agreed.

The Sheriff said, "I realize there are not Christmas parades every week, but there are community events every day in Lee County. I want deputies to reach out and find out how to be involved. The community can play a role to by inviting our deputies to participate. Had it not been for Michael asking me, I would not have had the pleasure of visiting with the kids at J.R. Ingram Elementary or the privilege of supporting the Kids Voting project.

Groups or individuals who would like a deputy to participate in a community event can email Sheriff Carter with their suggestions

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New Sheriff Has New Web Site On Day One

Your Feedback Is Important

If you have found yourself here, it is probably because you have visited the new Lee County Sheriff Office's new web site. This "blogger" portion of the site enables the LCSO to quickly inform the citizens of Lee County of news and developments. You may want to bookmark this page and visit it often.

One important feature of this portion of the Sheriff's Office web site is that it will often provide the public and clients, such as county departments, the opportunity to make comments on developments in the LCSO including suggestions and requests. You are invited to use this comment feature to give us your feedback on the new site. You are also encouraged to let us know how you feel that this site can better serve you.

Sheriff-Elect Announces New Management Team

Sheriff-elect Tracy Carter introduced key members of his leadership team to members of the media tonight after three consecu­tive days of interviews with applicants. “I’m very proud of this leadership team we have,” Carter said. “We’re looking forward to working hard for the citizens of Lee County to make things safer.”

• Randall Butler, currently a detective with the Moore County Sheriff’s Office, was named as Chief Deputy. As chief deputy, Butler will be Carter’s second-in-command, directly supervising the captains of the detective division, the drug investigation division and the chief jailer.
  
• Carlton Lyles will be Major of Field Operations and will supervise all patrol deputies, civil deputies and bailiffs.
  
• Jeff Johnson, currently a detective with the Sanford Police Department, was named Detective Captain and will oversee the investigative division.
  
• John Holly will will oversee the five­ member drug enforcement unit as Captain of Drug Enforcement. Holly, who has been a lieutenant and assistant to the chief of police in Lillington for five years.
  
• Robert Worrell, who retired from the sheriff’s office in November 2005, will return as a Special Assis­tant to Carter and carry the rank of Sargent Major. Worrell, who was at one time Chief Deputy, will manage spe­cial projects.
  
• Kent Everett, who current­ly works for the Cumberland County Child Support Office, will be the Chief Jailer. A 10­ year-veteran of the U.S. Army, Everett has also been a police officer in Chapel Hill.

Sheriff Creates County Drug Unit

Cooperation With City Police Department to Continue

Keeping a promise that was a centerpiece of his campaign, Sheriff-Elect Carter has announced the creation of a county drug enforcement unit within the Sheriff's Office. On Monday, December 4, 2006, a drug enforcement unit within the Lee County Sheriff’s Office will exercise the authority of the Sheriff's Office for the enforcement of drug laws in Lee County. This will replace the joint city-county drug unit operated by the Sanford Police Department.

In a letter to Sanford Police Chief Ronnie Yarborough, Sheriff Carter said, “Since communication, coordination, and collaboration can take place in the absence of formal reporting relationships, there can and should be a continuing joint effort between the Sanford Police Department and the Sheriff’s Office to wage an effective fight against illegal drugs.”

“I am committed to full cooperation with you in making all of Lee County a safer, more secure environment”, Carter added.