One of the most important aspects of county government is public safety. 

We have two excellent departments that provide most public safety services — emergency services and the sheriff’s office.

Emergency services is a large department that encompasses four divisions — emergency medical services, Central Communications, emergency management, and fire marshal. Our emergency services director is James Ellen. 

In their roles as paramedics, advanced emergency medical technicians and emergency medical technicians, our 68 full-time EMS employees with additional part-time staff provide 24-hour emergency medical response to our citizens. 

Our EMS units deploy from six EMS stations throughout Halifax County with locations in Littleton, Enfield, Scotland Neck, Roanoke Rapids, Hollister, and Halifax. 

These men and women are well-trained and provide high-level, life-saving patient care, often in challenging situations. 

They keep their skills sharp with regular continuing education. National EMS Week will be celebrated May 18-24, so if you see any of our EMS professionals out and about be sure to thank them for their service.

Central Communications is Halifax County's only public safety answering point. 

This division, with 21 full-time employees and additional part-time staff, provides 24-hour telecommunications to receive and dispatch requests for fire services, EMS, and law enforcement. 

Our telecommunicators also coordinate with non-emergency responders, such as animal control. 

Central Communications receives all severe weather watches and warnings and other emergency communications for dissemination to appropriate officials and departments and is co-located with the Halifax County Emergency Operations Center, providing communications support when the EOC is activated. 

We will be expressing our gratitude for our Central Communications team during National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week April 13-19.

The purpose of emergency management is to reduce the vulnerabilities of people and property to natural and man-made emergencies and disasters. 

Emergency management reduces the impact by educating the public on the four phases of emergency management — mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. 

Emergency management coordinates at local and state levels, including securing enough manpower and resources, to respond effectively to such occurrences. 

After an event, emergency management ensures individuals who have been affected by a major disaster have the proper relief and recovery assistance. 

Hurricane Helene’s impact on Western NC demonstrates the critical importance of emergency management.

The fire marshal is responsible for fire safety, fire prevention, fire inspections, and investigations of fires of questionable origin. 

The fire marshal has regular contact with business owners, residents, contractors, day cares, and foster homes. 

He serves as Halifax County’s liaison with volunteer fire departments and attends Halifax County Firemen’s Association meetings and various trainings. 

The fire marshal serves as the head of the Halifax County Safety Committee. In that capacity, he coordinates safety inspections in all county buildings, schedules monthly online employee training, facilitates monthly meetings to analyze safety issues and trends, and arranges specialized training such as defensive driving and active shooter. 

He works with our Human Resources Management Department to attend orientation for new hires to encourage safe practices on the job.

At the helm of the sheriff’s office is Sheriff Tyree Davis. 

It is the duty of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office to safeguard lives and property in Halifax County, as well as to protect the innocent from becoming victims of crime. 

The two primary functions of the sheriff's office are law enforcement — with 71 full-time employees — and the operation of the Halifax County Detention Center with 33 full-time employees.

Under the sheriff’s office, the command staff is responsible for the day-to-day operations of each division, making sure that each division commander has the necessary resources to operate effectively. 

Command staff work closely with the sheriff and chief deputy on all matters concerning the safety and well-being of our citizens, as well making sure sheriff’s office staff have the training, mindset, skills, and equipment to effectively carry out their duties.

The administrative services staff consists of an administrative officer who coordinates budgetary, personnel, and legal operations with appropriate county departments and works with vendors to ensure that equipment and other needed supplies are purchased and inventoried. Under the direction of the administrative officer are information processing positions that perform a variety of clerical duties, including public service, document production, data processing and the sole maintenance of records, warrants, court orders, civil processes and other related documents.

The Criminal Investigative Division involves criminal investigations and narcotics. The criminal investigative unit investigates property crimes, assaults, fraud cases, homicides, sex crimes, and any other crimes covered by North Carolina General Statutes. 

Many of the detectives possess expertise in various fields of work and are assigned cases according to that expertise. Crimes such as burglaries, robberies, larcenies, motor vehicle thefts, and missing/neglected juveniles are assigned to a detective based on the geographic area in which the crime occurred. 

The primary mission of the narcotics unit is to investigate and detect narcotics violations, illegal alcohol sales, gambling, prostitution, and other illegal activities. 

These agents’ duties include working street-level narcotics and long-term investigations focusing on mid- to upper-level drug traffickers, money laundering, seizing assets from dealers, and testifying in state and federal courts. 

Other duties include conducting marijuana eradication missions, performing search warrants, controlled narcotic transactions and prostitution stings.

The Uniform Patrol Division operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 

A patrol deputy is most likely to be the first representative of the sheriff’s office to make contact with a citizen; therefore, each deputy is expected to perform their duties in an efficient, honest, and professional manner. 

The main function of a patrol deputy is to be the first responder to all calls for service. 

Patrol deputies will make the initial investigation reports and forward them to the proper division for further investigation. 

The patrol deputy will secure all crime scenes, conduct traffic enforcement activities, ensure business security, affect arrests for misdemeanor violations, serve civil and criminal papers, transport inmates or other persons in custody, and other duties as assigned.

The detention center command staff is responsible for directing the operation of the Halifax County Detention Center including budget development and administration, supervision of the detention staff, overseeing inmate care, and adhering to department policies and procedures, as well as appropriate laws and regulations, to ensure the security, safety, and well-being of employees and inmates. 

Daily detention center operations include housing, feeding, clothing, medical care, recreation, and safety of the inmates.

Halifax County is so grateful for our amazing public safety employees. 

They sacrifice time with their families and put themselves in harm’s way to provide compassionate care and protection for our citizens at critical moments. Their dedicated service does not always get the recognition and gratitude they deserve.

Christina Wells 

Deputy county manager, Halifax County