Sheriff’s office accepts performance and wellness grant for deputies, $20,067 approved

Craven County commissioners unanimously approved acceptance of a $20,067 performance and wellness grant for the sheriff’s office during their Sept. 2 meeting.

The sheriff told the board the program tracks deputy wellness, including physical fitness assessments, performance reviews and scheduling tools, and that year two of the program was awarded to the office at no cost. "It does a number of things. 1, it tracks the wellness of my deputies, from physical fitness assessments, performance reviews, any disciplinary, and it tracks us so we can, see if there's any red flags or things we need to adjust," the sheriff said.

The board approved a motion to accept the grant and adopt the associated budget amendment; a roll-call vote recorded all commissioners voting yes.

The sheriff also briefed the board on back-to-school patrols and said the first week of school was "fairly uneventful" and that resource officers were present in schools with command staff and deputies. He also discussed enforcement efforts against businesses selling vape products that resemble candies and snacks; he reported the county had closed seven such businesses to date and that enforcement actions continued.

The grant acceptance allows the sheriff’s office to continue using the wellness and performance tool under the second-year award; the acceptance carries standard grant reporting obligations to the awarding organization.