Blog: DPS Dispatch

The humming of a helicopter may not be a sound that many North Carolinians notice day to day, but that sound could mean hope for someone in dire need of rescue. The NC Helicopter Aquatic Rescue Team (NCHART) is a specialized team of NC National Guard and NC State Highway Patrol pilots paired with local first responders who serve as rescue technicians under coordination of NC Emergency Management personnel all working together towards a common goal—saving lives. 

Many consider dogs to be “man’s best friend,” but can they also be the best coworker?  August 26 is National Dog Day, and with this unofficial holiday we’d like to recognize the many furry four-legged members within the NC Department of Public Safety (NCDPS) family.

High school graduation is one of the first major milestones a young person can aim to achieve. Whether the individual is college-bound, leaving for military training or joining the workforce, a high school diploma is a ticket that gets its holder through the first turnstile toward realizing the American dream.

The annual South Atlantic Fire Rescue Expo (SAFRE) is being held at Raleigh’s Convention Center this year, where fire departments from around the state come to network, check out new equipment, learn in workshops and participate in the HazMat Challenge.

NASHVILLE, NC – Carefully chosen offenders began the third year of the N.C. Field Minister Program, a four-year classroom journey at Nash Correctional Institution they hope ends not only with a college degree but with an opportunity to counsel their fellow offenders, their family and friends, and perhaps those responsible for their supervision.

RALEIGH - On Aug. 20, the Prison Reform Advisory Board began work on composing its recommendations on best practices for maintaining prison safety to Secretary Erik A. Hooks. The Board, appointed by Sec. Hooks last year, was created to review best practices regarding policies, programs and services to ensure the safety and security of the state’s prison system. They reviewed topics including health services, training, staffing, technology, communications and programs.  

A delegation of state officials, including some from the Department of Public Safety, visited the African nation of Botswana in July to share their knowledge with government agencies in that country, as part of the National Guard’s State Partnership Program. North Carolina National Guard soldiers and airmen, along with Guard forces from Alabama and New Jersey, participated this month in Upward Minuteman 2019, a large training exercise with the Botswana Defense Forces, promoting the National Guard’s State Partnership programs on the African continent.   

North Carolina prisons work extremely hard in balancing custody concerns with programming that teaches offenders skills to be put to use back in the community when sentences are served. This year at Lincoln Correctional Center, offenders grew so many fruits and vegetables that there wasn’t enough space at the facility. So, they donated more than 2,400 pounds to two local non-profits for their use. “This was a great way to give back to the community,” said Lincoln CC Warden Sam Dotson (center in photo on the right). “The offenders felt good about doing this.”

When Jim Thomas started collecting law enforcement patches when he was 21-years-old, little did he know that a handful of patches would grow to be one of the most comprehensive collections of NC State Highway Patrol history that exists today.

Dedicating personal time to a cause after putting in a full day’s work (toward the same cause), is a sure sign you have a passion for what you do. Donald Pinchback, chief court counselor for District 10 (Wake County), and his Juvenile Court Services staff can make that claim without hesitation.

The latest graduates of the Prison Emergency Response Team (PERT) basic training have joined an elite group of correctional officers in North Carolina. Prisons’ Chief of Security Kenneth Smith has often referred to PERT as, “the agency’s greatest resource due to the sheer numbers, experience and the broad scope of mission capabilities.”

On July 1, 1929, after the General Assembly authorized the State Highway Patrol’s creation, 37 individuals took an oath of office and became North Carolina’s first state troopers. These patrol members monitored miles of highway on Harley Davidson motorcycles, enforcing motor vehicle laws and assisting the motoring public.  Fast forward 90 years, the highway patrol stands more than 1,600 sworn members strong with additional civilian employees who provide telecommunications, medical or administrative support.

Pets—whether furry, scaled or feathered—are valued members of any family. When disasters strike, many families are at a loss of what to do with their pets, especially if they must evacuate. That’s why throughout the month of June, which is also Pet Preparedness Month, emergency management teams are encouraging pet owners to incorporate their animal friends into their emergency plans.

The Proclaimers sang about walking 500 miles and Vanessa Carlton said she’d walk 1,000, but teams who participated in the spring Miles for Wellness Challenge walked a whole lot more! For eight weeks at the start of spring, 432 teams of ten people or less competed to see who could collectively walk the farthest. The distance of each team was measured on a virtual map from steps reported by participants. 

North Carolina Emergency Management has received the 2019 Wade H. Hargrove Community Leadership Award from the North Carolina Association of Broadcasters for its support of the state and North Carolina’s broadcast stations during Hurricane Florence in the fall of 2018.