Rowan County Sheriff's Office (North Carolina)

Rowan County Sheriff's Office (North Carolina) is a local county law enforcement agency in Rowan County, North Carolina that was founded in 1753. Its mission is "to provide professional law enforcement to the citizens of Rowan County, North Carolina through efficient and effective methods. This mission encompasses functions of courthouse security, civil process, operation of detention facility, investigations and community patrol." There are over 200 employees, most of which are sworn deputies. The Rowan County Sheriff's Office won the J. Stannard Baker Award, a national award for outstanding achievement in highway safety, in 2003.[1][2]

Rowan County Sheriff's Office
Abbreviation	RCSO
Agency overview
Formed	1753
Jurisdictional structure
Operations jurisdiction	Rowan County, North Carolina, USA
Map of Rowan County Sheriff's Office's jurisdiction.
General nature	Local civilian police
Operational structure
Headquarters	Salisbury, North Carolina
Agency executive	Kevin L. Auten, Sheriff
Website
RCSO Website

Sheriff's authority and qualifications

Sheriffs have been required in each county of North Carolina since the North Carolina Constitution of 1776. Article VII, Section 2 of the 1971 Constitution of North Carolina gives the authority and qualifications for a sheriff in each county:[3][4]

• "In each county a Sheriff shall be elected by the qualified voters thereof at the same time and places as members of the General Assembly are elected and shall hold his office for a period of four years, subject to removal for cause as provided by law. No person is eligible to serve as Sheriff if that person has been convicted of a felony against this State, the United States, or another state, whether or not that person has been restored to the rights of citizenship in the manner prescribed by law. Convicted of a felony includes the entry of a plea of guilty; a verdict or finding of guilt by a jury, judge, magistrate, or other adjudicating body, tribunal, or official, either civilian or military; or a plea of no contest, nolo contendere, or the equivalent. (2010-49, s. 1)"

History

Rowan County Sheriff's Office was founded in 1753 when Rowan County was created from Anson County, North Carolina.[1] Rowan County originally encompassed the areas that are now Iredell County (until 1788), Davidson County (until 1822), Davie County (until 1836), and Alexander County (parts in Iredell County until 1847). The name of the sheriff in 1753 is unknown. The following is a list of sheriff's from 1754 through present day, including dates of service.[5]

• 1754–1758 David Jones[6][7][8]
• 1758–1759 Edward Hughes[6][7][8]
• 1759–1763 Benjamin Miller (Milner)[6][8]
• 1763–1764 William Nassery[8][6]
• 1764–1767 Francis Locke[9][7][8]
• 1767–1768 Griffith Rutherford[9][7][8]
• 1768–1769 Andrew Allison[7][8]
• 1769–1769 Adam Allison (August 11 – November 16)[7]
• 1770–1770 No Sheriff[8]
• 1771–1771 William Temple Coles[7][8]
• 1771–1772 James McKay
• 1772–1774 Daniel Little, Esq.
• 1774–1777 James Kerr
• 1777–1779 Galbraith Falls
• 1779–1779 George Henry Berger (February 2, 1779–May 5, 1779)[10]
• 1779–1779 Samuel Hughey (May 6 – November 3)
• 1779–1780 Josiah Rounsevall, Esq. (November 3 – May 3)
• 1780–1780 Moses Winslow, Esq. (May 3 – August 9)
• 1780–1781 William Brandon, Esq. (August 9 – May 9)
• 1781–1781 Peter Faust (May 9 – August 7)
• 1781–1782 James Craige
• 1782–1785 John Brevard Jr.[11]
• 1785–1786 John Brevard Sr.
• 1786–1787 Hugh Terrence (Torrence, Torrance, Tarrants)[12][11]
• 1787–1790 Lewis Beard
• 1790–1792 Isaac Jones
• 1792–1794 John Braly (Brawley) Jr.
• 1794–1808 John Troy
• 1808–1813 Edward Chambers
• 1813–1814 John Smith, Esq.
• 1814–1818 Alexander Frohock
• 1818–1820 John Beard, Esq.
• 1820–1824 Samuel Jones
• 1824–1826 Charles Fisher
• 1826–1828 Isaac D. Jones
• 1828–1837 Fielding Slater
• 1837–1841 John H. Hardie
• 1841–1849 Richard W. Long
• 1849–1858 Caleb Kluttz[2]
• 1858–1865 W. A. Walton
• 1865–1866 Solomon Kluttz
• 1867–1872 W. A. Walton
• 1872–1880 C. F. Waggoner
• 1880–1890 Charles C. Krider
• 1890–1900 J. M. Monroe
• 1900–1906 D. R. Julian
• 1906–1908 Hodge Krider (father of J. H. Krider)
• 1908–1914 J. H. McKenzie
• 1914–1928 J. H. Krider
• 1928–1930 R. P. Lyerly
• 1930–1931 W. Locke McKenzie[13]
• 1931–1932 Cal Miller
• 1932–1950 J. H. Krider
• 1950–1966 Arthur J. Shuping
• 1966–1986 John Stirewalt
• 1986–1986 Junius L. Bost (February – December)
• 1986–1998 Robert G. Martin
• 1998–2009 George A. Wilhelm[14][15]
• 2010–pres. Kevin L. Auten (served as acting head while chief deputy from the time former sheriff Wilhelm resigned until Auten was appointed as sheriff in 2010)[16][15]

Line of duty deaths

There have been eight known Sheriff or Deputies killed in the Rowan County Sheriff's Office. There have been several deputies who died while on-duty:[17]

1. Deputy Henry C. Owen was shot and killed February 20, 1895, by a man he was attempting to arrest for disturbing the peace.[18]
2. Deputy William J. Propst was shot and killed on November 17, 1922, by a man he was attempting to arrest for shooting a local police chief.
3. Deputy Linzy J. Yarbrough died from a gunshot wound received while attempting to apprehend a man wanted for murder on June 3, 1927.
4. Sheriff W. Locke McKenzie was shot and killed by a man with a shotgun after responding to a disturbance on July 16, 1931.[13]
5. Deputy Danny Ray Griffin died in a collision on June 3, 1986.
6. Deputy Rick Bill Bauguess was struck by a vehicle during training on November 10, 1988.
7. Deputy John Lester Beck suffered a heart attack after arresting a man on January 27, 1994.
8. Deputy Richard Allen Hillard died in a collision while pursuing a fleeing motorcycle on October 17, 1999.

See also

• List of law enforcement agencies in North Carolina

References

1. "Rowan County, North Carolina Sheriffs Office". RowanSheriff.org. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
2. Conner, Suzy (1988). "Theodore Franklin Kluttz". NCPedia.org. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
3. "Constitution of North Carolina of 1971". Retrieved August 25, 2019.
4. "North Carolina Constitution of 1776". 1776. Retrieved August 25, 2019.
5. References provided where known, research still underway for others
6. McKaughan, Joshua Lee. Journal of Backcountry Studies, People of Desperate Fortune: Power and Populations in the North Carolina Backcountry.
7. Lewis, Johanna Miller. Artisans in the North Carolina Backcountry. p. 119.
8. Irvin, Samuel, Jr. (1917). A Colonial History of Rowan County, North Carolina. University of North Carolina, Edwards & Broughton Printing Company, Raleigh, North Carolina. p. 33. Retrieved August 24, 2019.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
9. Sketch of Colonel Francis Locke; McCorkle, George; "The North Carolina Booklet – Great Events in North Carolina History. Archive.org. pp. 12–21. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
10. Brawley, James (1953). The Rowan Story, a Narrative History of Rowan County, North Carolina. The Rowan Print Company. ASIN B0007ECLVK.
11. "History of the Iredell County Sheriffs". Retrieved August 24, 2019.
12. later became first sheriff of Iredell County, North Carolina
13. "W. Locke McKenzie, National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Fund". LawMemorial.org. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
14. "Commissionaers to Pick Interim Sheriff". Salisbury Post. December 1, 2009. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
15. "Salisbury Post staff votes on the biggest stories of the year". Salisbury Post. 31 December 2010. Retrieved 18 December 2011.
16. "Rowan Sheriffs Office Directory, Kevin L. Auten". Retrieved August 24, 2019.
17. "Rowan County, North Carolina Sheriff and Deputies Deaths". Officer Down Memorial Page. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
18. "Henry C. Owen, Officer Down Memorial Page". Retrieved August 24, 2019.

Background

• Boyd, Julian P. (April 1928). The Sheriff in Colonial North Carolina. 5. The North Carolina Historical Review. pp. 151–180.
• McGuirt, Frank (2006). "Sheriff". NCPedia.org. Retrieved August 24, 2019.
• Colonial Records of North Carolina, VIII, 280-281
• Colonial Records of North Carolina, IX, 675
• Colonial Records of North Carolina, V, 558
• State Records of North Carolina XXIII, 438-9
• W. H. Fries, Forsyth County, North Carolina, 22-25
• Irvin, Samuel, Jr. (1917). A Colonial History of Rowan County, North Carolina. University of North Carolina, Edwards & Broughton Printing Company, Raleigh, North Carolina. p. 33.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)