DPS Dispatch

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.

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.

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.

As the new Commissioner of Prisons, I’ve traveled the state, visited all of our prisons and listened to the concerns of the staff.

I’ve reached some conclusions.

Great things are being done by the men and women who manage our offender populations.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is highlighting topics such as election security, insider threats, cyber-physical convergence and protection of our hometowns as part of November’s Infrastructure Security Month.  

On Monday, the Department of Public Safety will proudly celebrate Veterans Day and say “thank you” to the men and women who have served our country, especially to the more than 2,600 veterans who work at DPS.

Disaster can strike at any time, in any season. Practicing emergency plans regularly and updating emergency supplies semi-annually is an important and even lifesaving habit to keep.

It doesn’t matter whether one walks on two legs or four in the Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice’s Special Operations and Intelligence Unit (SOIU); all beings need the most up-to-date protective safety equipment. 

All too often, we find news media covering tragic shootings in communities across the nation. Senseless gun violence has become a part of everyday dialogue in American society.

The North Carolina State Highway Patrol is participating in Operation Stop Arm during Oct 21-25 to enforce stop arm violations and other traffic violations in and around school zones. The campaign hopes to raise awareness of school bus safety.

Always searching for opportunities to conserve its financial and natural resources, Department of Public Safety leaders embraced Gov.

She remains unnamed, saying the entire staff should be considered Employee of the Year

Central Prison has named its annual Employee of the Year. 

Governor Roy Cooper proclaimed this week, Oct. 13-19, as Juvenile Justice week in North Carolina. What is Juvenile Justice, though?

The Great Southeast Shakeout is a week away and you can be part of the growing crowd to participate in the world’s largest earthquake drill on Oct. 17 at 10:17 a.m. Join the more than 2.1 million people in the southeast who have registered their organization, school, agency, business or family and are ready to perform a ‘Drop, Cover, and Hold On’ drill, the recommended action for people to take during an earthquake. Among those joining in the Shakeout are more than 100 North Carolina K-12 schools and districts, which accounts for more than 347,000 of the 364,000 registered participants in the state.