The Office of the Sheriff first appeared in this country in Virginia in 1634. North Carolina saw its’ first Sheriff in 1662. It was not until 1738 that the Office of the Sheriff, as we know it today, was created in the colony of North Carolina and the duties of the Provost Marshall and his Deputies were placed in the hands of the Sheriff including collection of all taxes. In 1776, the Halifax constitution, while not providing for any particular form of government, did provide that each county have a Sheriff.

By 1829 this position had become an elected office. This was a full thirty-nine years before other officials became part of the electoral process making the Office of the Sheriff the first popularly elected office in the state. There was a Sheriff before there was a Governor, Attorney General or Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

Wilson Co. elected its’ first Sheriff in 1855. Since that time there have been eighteen elected Sheriffs’ in the county.

The citizens of Wilson County first elected me as Sheriff in 1982. I am currently serving my sixth term in office. The Sheriffs’ Office consists of 136 employees divided into three major divisions: Criminal, Civil and Detention. Sub-divisions include: Administrative Staff, Patrol Officers, Mounted Patrol, Motorcycle Units, Detectives, Narcotic Officers, School Resource Officers, Civil Process Officers, Judicial Coordinator, Detention Officers, Clerical Personnel, Cooks, Medical Staff, Court Officers and Custodians. Within each of these divisions, specially trained personnel perform designated tasks to ensure the efficient operation of the Sheriffs’ Office.

 The Criminal Division is responsible for patrol duties as well as serving all criminal papers within the county. They are also responsible for duties such as traffic and crowd control at special events. The Investigative of Detective Division is responsible for investigating all serious misdemeanors and felonies committed in Wilson County. Narcotics and Vice Division investigate complaints of illegal substance abuse and prostitution. The Civil Division serves over ten thousand civil processes each year as well as insuring that security is provided in all courts being operated in Wilson County. Within the Civil Division there are nine school resource officers that are assigned to each high school and middle school. The Wilson County Detention Center houses 284 local, state and federal inmates. We also offer other specialized services such as a fourteen man emergency response team, a ten man underwater search and recovery team, a surveillance plane used for marijuana eradication and searches for lost persons, a crime prevention program, and a computerized victims notification system that alerts victims of domestic violence and other violent crimes that their victimizers have been released.

The Wilson County Office of the Sheriff also has a mounted patrol officer who rides his horse primarily in the small towns of Wilson County to assist in crime prevention by being highly visible in these areas. Being mounted on the horse allows the officer to see areas not visible to officers in patrol cars.

The Office of the Sheriff also uses two motorcycle units to patrol the towns of Wilson County as well as the numerous subdivisions throughout the county. These officers also deliver messages to the public about such important issues as Driving while Impaired, the use of seat belts and proper installation of child seats.

 During the past several years, the Wilson County Office of the Sheriff has opened three sub-stations throughout the county to better serve the citizens by allowing the officers to complete paperwork and return phone calls while remaining in the county. These offices’ are located in the town of Sims, Elm City and Saratoga.

 During the year of 2003-2004 I will be serving as President of the National Sheriffs Association. As a result of holding this prestigious office I will have the opportunity to assist in the creation of new legislation to enhance the security of our communities locally as well as nationally.

 It is the goal and the objective of the office of the Sheriff to continue to provide our citizens the protection and service they deserve. With this in mind, we will continue to use new technology as it comes available to enhance our operation. Again, thank you for visiting the Wilson County Sheriffs’ Office Web Page.

Sincerely,

 Wayne V. Gay