Blog: DPS Dispatch

Findings published last month following a year-long independent study evaluating the food environments of North Carolina’s juvenile justice facilities indicate that staff are invested in the children in their care, meet child nutrition program requirements for all daily meals and feel that their role in promoting child health and wellness is important. 

Storms leave behind big messes and communities need help with clean up. That’s certainly the case on Ocracoke, where several feet of storm surge inundated the island when Hurricane Dorian passed by last September. As residents cleaned out flooded homes, large piles of curbside debris quickly developed all over the island – made up of ruined furniture, soaked drywall and damaged floorboards.  

Your home is your greatest monetary asset and you should take steps to ensure its safety. Good safety measures are habit forming, and law enforcement experts from the North Carolina Department of Public Safety came up with some easy to follow tips for securing your home to help keep it safe. Install a security system with security cameras

It’s not every day that a state or local law enforcement officer gets recognized by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, but that’s just what happened recently to an Alcohol Law Enforcement special agent. As the state observes Human Trafficking Awareness Month this January, the DPS family wants to congratulate ALE Special Agent and Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Task Force Officer (TFO) Bryan Irwin on his selection as a national recipient of the 2019 HSI Outstanding Efforts in Combating Human Trafficking Award.

Ground was broken on the imposing stone fortress known as Central Prison in Raleigh 150 years ago as convicts wielded shovels and chipped granite blocks from a nearby quarry to build its 30-foot walls. It took 14 years to finish the job started on Jan. 6, 1870. Central Prison has been in continuous service since it opened in 1884. The project cost $1.25 million. Much has changed since those simpler, harsher times.

Pilot program working to help those under supervision break drug dependency. The growing misuse of opioid drugs in the United States is well-documented. It can be particularly problematic for individuals who are under probation, parole and post-release supervision.

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.

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. 

The holidays are upon us and that means people will be hitting the road. AAA estimates that 49.3 million travelers will be on roadways this year, and that will be the most since 2005. With more traffic on the streets, drivers can expect delays and an increased risk of accidents. Here’s a list of highway driving tips that can help ensure you and others on the road arrive safe. Check and prepare your vehicle before leaving

Every year, millions of women, children and men around the world become the victims of human trafficking., subjecting them to forced labor or sexual exploitation.  North Carolina consistently ranks within the Top 10 states with the most reported number of human trafficking cases. 

Former warden Dennis Daniels looks back with a sense of pride and accomplishment on his nearly 40 years of service in the only fulltime work environment he ever knew.  Daniels, 61, who retired in November, said, “This is a tough job to walk away from, especially when this is what you’ve done every day of your working life. It’s in your bones. There’s something in those of us in corrections that want to get up and go to prison. I’ve been told ‘Maybe there’s something wrong with your head?’ But it’s all I’ve ever done.”

Members of the Prisons’ Special Operations Response Team, along with a member from the Prisons’ Special Operations Target Interdiction Team (Snipers), placed third overall in the 2019 North Carolina Tactical Officer’s Association 26th annual SWAT Competition at the NC Justice Academy in Salemburg last month.

Pender Correctional Institution Officer Joshua Clark was stuck in traffic because of an accident when he noticed two men wrestling in a ditch and a State Highway Patrol cruiser on the shoulder. One of the wrestlers wore a badge and a gun, so Clark entered into the fray to help out-of-uniform trooper C.J. Cross.

Chief Probation and Parole Officer Lauren Patterson was just a child the first time she volunteered with Operation Christmas Child, a ministry project of Samaritan’s Purse that provides children in need around the world with shoeboxes filled with small toys, hygiene items and school supplies. That one time was all it took to spark a passion within her. From that moment, Patterson continued to volunteer with the organization through her church until later down the road she was given the opportunity to become an area coordinator—and she took it.

Two North Carolina prisons’ food service personnel were honored recently by the Association of Correctional Food Service Affiliates’ Annual International Conference Vendor Showcase in Memphis. Central Prison Correctional Food Service Manager Conell Chapman was presented with the 2019 ACFSA Operator of the Year Award, while Maury Correctional Institution Food Service Manager Clarence Godley received the ACFSA Heroism Award for his actions during Hurricane Florence.