Supporting public safety should never a political issue…it’s our community responsibility.

As I read the Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office June statistics, I was reminded what public service looks like in a rural county.

Per their Facebook post, in June alone, their Communications Center dispatched 3,053 calls for service…an average of 102 calls every day…more than 4 calls every hour…or one call about every 14 minutes, 24 hours a day.

Of those, 1,455 calls required a Deputy Sheriff’s response…an average of 49 deputy calls every day, or one deputy response every 30 minutes.

Deputies also completed 47 mental health transports. This should be a reminder to all of us that our law enforcement officers are often called to serve not only as protectors, but also as first responders during behavioral health crises.

Thank you to every dispatcher, deputy, detention officer, Animal Services officer, firefighter, EMS professional, and first responder who serves in Edgecombe County. Your work often happens behind the scenes, but it never goes unnoticed.

Supporting public safety should never a political issue…it’s our community responsibility.