Meet NPR hosts and reporters. We need to offer our community members an alternative to turning to drugs and the power and knowledge to break free from addiction. I am a dedicated and passionate law enforcement professional with the education, training, and experience to lead the Macon County Sheriffs Office into the future. DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) - Macon County Sheriff Jim Root has announced he will run for reelection in 2022. Macon County - Sheriff Robert Holland is retiring after serving in the role since 2002. Bob Cook said he isnt running for sheriff as a career move. My career choice in law enforcement dates back three generations! Cook: While each area can be improved upon, the Investigations area can use some improving. Six counties in the westernmost part of North Carolina elected new sheriffs in the primary election. They wanted a change in leadership. Each candidate has previous law enforcement experience, including three who currently work for the Sheriffs Office. Answer from candidate 5. so forth and so on. Bryson: I am Captain Clay Bryson and I was born and raised in Macon County and have spent half of my life, 21 years to be exact, as a Law Enforcement Officer with the Macon County Sheriffs Office. That is something the military instilled in me. Right now, I dont have a set date on when we are going to perform it, said Thibault. Brent Holbrooks is a lieutenant at the MCSO who has been with the office about 23 years. BPR explains some of the objections. I born 45 years ago and raised right here in Macon County. We have an academy in our backyard, we need to be utilizing that as much as possible, he said. He was promoted to captain just when the office was restructured and the entire command staff received that rank. I believe it is imperative as Sheriff to visit these departments and the various community clubs throughout Macon County on a regular basis to bolster community relations and hear from citizens about what needs to be done and how we can better serve the county. Jones said that while he understands sheriff is a political position, he is a deputy before hes a politician, and thats the way hed intend to run the office. Holbrooks, the son of former Sheriff Holbrooks, said that in his 23 years while hes also worked courthouse security, he believes his greatest strengths are his abilities as an SRT operator and his experience in civil process. Among the sheriffs retiring in Western North Carolina who will leave big shoes to fill is Macon Countys Robert Holland, who has served in that position for almost two decades. Sheriff Robert Holland announced on June 18 that he would Premium Content is available to subscribers only. Sep 22, 2021 Updated Sep 22, 2021. Weve got to do what we can and deal with them appropriately when they get here.. The majority of drugs come from Atlanta, and the majority of those drugs are coming from Mexico, he said. Sheriff Brent Holbrooks - 2368 (32.21 percent) Winner Dereck E. Jones - 2314 (31.57 percent) Clay Bryson - 1123 (15.32 percent) It started me leaning this direction and was very impactful on my life.. Chatham County (locally / t t m / CHAT-m) is a county located in the Piedmont area of the U.S. state of North Carolina.As of the 2020 census, the population was 76,285. He says he will be running as a Republican candidate. That is why I plan to constantly seek out grants and funding opportunities to make mental health resources and substance abuse treatment more readily available and accessible in Western North Carolina. No Democrats were on the ballot so this primary decides who will be the next Sheriff in the County. He wants to see officers involved in community events and a time for people to sit down with officers and share what their needs are. Macon County is my home. I want to work with other agencies around the area (city and county), state, and federal agencies and pool our resources to combat the ever growing drug problem. Perform a free Macon County, NC public arrest records search, including current & recent arrests, arrest inquiries, warrants, reports, logs, and mugshots. This election and change of administration is not about reinventing the wheel, but about putting the right person in office to move this county forward. In 2007, Nantahala was given four Deputy positions specifically for the Nantahala area. At our inception 20 years ago, we chose to be different. I was promoted to Sergeant in 2016, and just recently promoted to Lieutenant over Civil process and Courthouse Security. This is evidenced by my direct involvement in our schools, churches and as my passion as a coach and volunteer.. Bryson: As the new Captain over patrol, I have gotten a crash course in the struggles our agency faces to cover all 500 miles of Macon County. Candidates were asked to provide a short bio and were asked the same questions. Authorities said Thursday, Feb. 2, 2023, officials with the Special Victims Unit of the Macon County Sheriff's Office were investigating an allegation of sexual misconduct. Your support of SMN does not constitute a charitable donation. Comment I enjoy taking my children to the woods to hunt and learn about gun safety. I obtained my law enforcement certification from Southwestern Community College and I began working at the Macon County Sherrifs Department in 1999. How do you think law enforcement can strengthen its response to these problems? His three-prong approach to the problem includes education, enforcement and rehabilitation. Macon County Beekeepers will hold their Bee School, Saturday, February 11 and Saturday, February 25, 2023 from 9:00 a.m. 1 month ago NC 4-H Camps Selected to Participate in NC State Crowdfunding Campaign I am a member of the Cullasaja Fire Department and have seen firsthand the integral role our volunteer fire departments and community centers have within our communities. . Bryson enrolled in Basic Law Enforcement Training at Southwestern Community College in the Fall of 1999 to begin his career and on April 11, 2000, Brysons 21st birthday, he took his Oath of Office with the Macon County Sheriffs Office. While hed owned property in Franklin since 1999, he and his late wife moved up permanently in 2015. 1) Give me a brief bio. I am committed to fair and equal treatment of all citizens. As a father, my goal has always been to protect them, love them, and defend them to the best of my ability. He says his experience has prepared him to make the needed changes. Beasley and Budd both won in Macon County with Beasley receiving 686 votes (58.48 percent) and Budd getting 3,588 (53.34 percent) The unofficial primary election totals with all precincts reporting. He also spent approximately 14 years working in Narcotics where I was also on the Violent Crimes Task Force and the DEA Task Force. I have proudly served under Sheriff Robbie Holland in a variety of progressively more responsible leadership roles that I hope to have culminate in being elected Sheriff in 2022. Im not going to sit around and just let the drugs go crazy because were waiting on the big guy. She says that the recount will likely take place after Memorial Day. Bryson said education and the cadet program is a way to draw interest to the profession. Although Holbrooks said he respects Holland, he isnt happy with the status quo. Individuals and organizations had 60-days for final objections on the plan but only if they had previously commented. Its the highest liability position, and during the last three and a half years, Ive had the opportunities administratively to work on the budget with the chief deputy, Jones said. I serve on several boards for the youth league sports, including the little league boys basketball and baseball., Bryson: This is my first time running for an elected position., Bryson: With Sheriff Hollands announcement that he will be retiring at the end of his current term, after much prayer and with the support of my family, I decided that I wanted to be part of progressing the sheriffs office forward. Official community group for the Macon County NC Sheriff's Election. All rights reserved. There were five candidates in the race. I am pleased to say that the academy did a lot of good for me because I moved back to Macon County eager to pursue a career in law enforcement and was very focused on attaining my goals. He also plans to create a task force with assistance from surrounding counties to perform undercover work and set up drug buys. I think we need to get ours back up to what it needs to be. Candidates were asked to provide a short bio and were asked the same questions. Cook: Considering the Nantahala Community currently has only as a School Resource Officer in their community, they absolutely need additional officers. He said he decided to run because he wants to be part of moving the the office forward. By Jake Browning on Tuesday, July 6, 2021 Elections to choose Macon County's next sheriff won't begin until next year, but the race has already become more of a high speed chase. I am a man of my word. Following is Part II of the sheriff's candidate profiles featuring Brent Holbrooks and Chris Browning. However, I have been asked to help share information about the candidates so what I have decided is to send every candidate this same email (everyone is copied) and leave it up to you if you want to respond or not. Other officers are the best recruiters Ive got.. He also feels it is important to support law enforcement families, since the stress that comes with the job can be difficult for some families to work through. Throughout his career, Bryson has served in many roles within the Sheriffs Office, first as a patrol deputy. Jones said he is humbled by the support Macon County has shown him from the time he was a child, and he wants to help set an example as others did for him. The transition period will be so important, he said. The candidates to replace Holland bring a variety of experience. View Candidates by State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Welcome to the Macon County Sheriff's Office Facebook page, serving Franklin, Highlands and Nantahala Macon County, NC Sheriff's Office | Franklin NC In addition, Bryson has served on the SRT for years and has been its commander since 2012. He said extra patrolling will also be helpful in fighting the drug problem, because the people running and dealing drugs like to hang out in places where they dont see patrols. Civil process is one of the sheriffs three statutorily mandated duties and requires deputies to serve individuals with non-criminal papers, including domestic violence protective orders. But with the amount of drugs in this town, we should be seeing busts every week. But for those who do not, I wanted to give you a glimpse into who I am and why I am requesting your support. He has taught basic law enforcement training in Jacksonville, Florida, and in Macon County. Analyze how and why you love the way you do. He said competitive wages are helpful in recruitment and keeping officers. For most of my entire law enforcement career, I have prioritized combating this horrible epidemic and I assure you I will continue to do so as long as I serve Macon County. The Southern Scoop News sent the following email to all candidates for Macon County Sheriff and posted the same text on Facebook for full transparency: As all of you know, I have made the decision to not cover the Macon County Sheriffs Election. He wants to set up a merit-based system to recognize officers and individuals at the lower ranks. Jones graduated Franklin High School in 2000, Southwestern Community College in 2008 with an Associate of Arts degree, and Western Carolina University in 2012 attaining a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice. Macon County. Anybody that can help provide the assets, equipment, money and other resources to fight this problem we have in Macon County., His goal is to make it so the people who are bringing drugs into the county will no longer want to come here. I dont think we need a new jail facility right now. he said. It will be so uncomfortable and so unprofitable they will want to go someplace else.. Bryson and his wife Ariel have been married since 2014 and currently reside in the Cullasaja Community of Macon County. Political Candidate Directory Featuring candidates for state, local and federal office. This is where I grew up; where my children and grandchildren are growing up. My wife Ariel and I have been married since 2014 and currently reside in the Cullasaja Community of Macon County. SROs play an invaluable role in our agency. We need to offer our community members an alternative to turning to drugs and the power and knowledge to break free from addiction, he said. If you have a question about contributing to SMN, please contact us. Im passionate about what I do, he said. As the third generation of his family to work in law enforcement, Holbrooks has spent his adult career with the Macon County Sheriffs Office, starting in 1999 as a deputy. With that being said, we need to get the courthouse secured, and we need to get the X-ray machines up and going.. Holbrooks wants to foster a positive work culture within the department and continue to advocate for competitive pay. . When it comes to getting new officers, Bryson said the department will continue to recruit through the law enforcement academies and job fairs. Early voting is underway across the state. Its usually more so in the local elections. They also agree on the need for more community patrolling and community involvement. Chris Browning welcomes all Macon County residents to a town hall style meet-and-greet. As such, I have had to learn to step back and look at whatever the situation is and think outside the box to develop a successful plan of attack. News and Updates Events TBD Meet-and-Greet Hotdog Dinner Get to know Chris Browning. Cook also wants to review safety protocols for the jail and the courthouse. County Boards of Elections Information BallotTrax (Absentee Ballot Tracking) Voter Registration Statistics View all tools and forms. The drug problem in Macon County and surrounding areas is epidemic. I worked the road, and when working the road, you have to know the ins and outs of the drug trade, he said. Just like criminal enterprise is constantly evolving, so is law enforcement and I want to ensure that we evolve quicker and smarter for the betterment of my friends and neighbors., Cook: I am running for office because I see a need for a course correction. 91.1 Welcome 91.9 Fayetteville 90.5 Buxton Most of these concerns centered around the drug problem in Macon County. One of the first ways I plan to accomplish this is to refocus the agencies SRO [School Resource Officer] program and to improve the program for all these officers to be more than SROs I want them to be active community law enforcement officers that are geared toward proactive policing and reform. The proposals I have made thus far are not new ideas. Just like criminal enterprise is constantly evolving, so is law enforcement, and I want to ensure that we evolve quicker and smarter for the betterment of my friends and neighbors.. Since moving to the area, hes worked at the police academy in Franklin as a training coordinator, a position he resigned to run for sheriff. So when I go in, Im going in with a fresh, clear head looking at the problems we have, he said. We need to make sure we have a secure courthouse and a secure jail or were going to have big problems.. 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