Blog: DPS Dispatch

Polk Correctional Institution has named their warden, Johnny Hawkins, as one of their COVID-19 heroes during the pandemic. Since the beginning of the pandemic, Warden Hawkins has expressed concern for all persons within the facility and has taken action to ensure the health and safety of staff and offenders. He always makes it a priority to pass down information on new health guidelines or precautions.

Tangi Jordan doesn’t know why she stopped her car in the rain and cold Feb. 18 morning on her way to work at the Lenoir Youth Development Center in Kinston. She just saw someone who needed help. The facility director noticed several cars pulled off on the side of the road near State Highway 11 as she drove from her home in Winterville toward Greenville and Kinston. Jordan initially thought an accident had occurred but then she saw a large elderly man lying on the ground and a group of women near him. 

For Black History Month, the Department of Public Safety is spotlighting employees who have gone above and beyond – either through their job or in their free time – to support COVID-19 safety and healing in their communities. Find more inspiring stories here. Director of Business Systems and Reporting Julendia Gaillard joined NCORR about 18 months ago as the next step in a career that includes more than 40 years of IT development, management and teaching.

For Black History Month, the Department of Public Safety is spotlighting employees who have gone above and beyond – either through their job or in their free time – to support COVID-19 safety and healing in their communities. Find more inspiring stories here.

COVID-19 has brought many changes to our lifestyles, including our work environments. Many workplaces have seen a rise in employees working remotely and using virtual meeting tools. Not surprisingly, users of the online meeting platform Zoom increased from 10 million in December 2019 to 300 million in April 2020 as pandemic restrictions were beginning in the United States. 

For Black History Month, the Department of Public Safety is spotlighting employees who have gone above and beyond – either through their job or in their free time – to support COVID-19 safety and healing in their communities. Find more inspiring stories here.

Before it happens to you, nobody wants to think about the scary prospect of a missing child, parent or loved one. We’re hesitant to think about it, but one of the first steps in successfully coping with such a dire situation is to prepare mentally for such a possibility by knowing what law enforcement and other resources are available to identify and recover missing persons. 

While juvenile crime in North Carolina continues to trend downward, an alarming new trend was identified last year: juveniles being charged with firearm crimes. According to Deputy Secretary for Juvenile Justice William Lassiter, there has been an almost 150 percent increase in youths facing firearm-related crimes. 

As we start a new year, the Department of Public Safety offers some quick and easy tips that will help keep you on track to a safe 2021. Whether online, at home or out and about, please stay informed and stay safe. Be Cyber Smart and Cyber Safe

Every year, thousands of people complete their sentences in one of North Carolina’s correctional institutions and return to their community.  Preparing offenders for their return home is a nine-month process. Case managers review the home plan with the offender to ensure they will have a stable place to live, they help the offender get new identification and documents they may need and help the offender connect with resources for employment, transportation and other assistance.

The World Health Organization designated 2020 as the “International Year of the Nurse” in honor of the 200th anniversary of Florence Nightingale’s birth. If there is a group of nurses that represent the courage and care needed to deal with the pandemic this year, it definitely includes the nurses who work for the state’s Juvenile Justice section.  

The year has brought us many changes. One thing that has not changed – protecting our home. Home safety is extremely important especially during the holiday season. Emergency Management and law enforcement experts from the Department of Public Safety came up with these tips to help your family remain safe during the holidays. Protect against home fire risks

After years of planning, North Carolina implemented the Juvenile Justice Reinvestment Act (S.L. 2017-57) on Dec. 1, 2019. More commonly known as “Raise the Age,” the law redirects 16 and 17-year-olds who committed misdemeanors and low-level felonies from automatically being charged in the adult criminal justice system. North Carolina was one of the last states to raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction for most offenses to 18. By including 16 and 17-yearolds under juvenile jurisdiction, the state endorsed a practice that is not only effective in reducing crime but also is cost-effective. 

With winter weather in the forecast, now is the time to prepare. To remain safe during this time, the best thing you can do is not drive on the roads, but if you must, plan ahead and review how to operate your vehicle in winter weather. Prepare Your Vehicle Before you hit the road, it’s a good rule of thumb to prepare your vehicle ahead of time. The lower temperatures can cause tire pressure and battery power to drop and may cause moisture to freeze the gas lines. Check your tire pressure, test your battery and keep your gas tank at least half full.

Black Friday kicks off the holiday shopping season and has made a name for itself as the largest shopping day of the year. Many friends and family shop together to plan a day scoring deals upon deals. But satisfying shopping experiences can quickly turn sour if we’re not careful. Following these tips will help keep you safe however you choose to shop in this holiday season and during a pandemic.  Shopping during COVID-19 Whether shopping in person or picking up items, taking a few extra precautions this year will help keep you, your family and friends safe during the COVID-19 era.