Re-Elect Danny Rogers For Guilford County Sheriff

By Marrissa Dick

Photos by Still Shots Photography

Election time is nearing again and that means the citizens of Guilford County will cast their ballots for sheriff on May 17, 2022. During this primary election, citizens will be critically reflective of all campaign promises and weigh the checks and balances of their current elected officials. One office that will be reexamined is the Sheriff’s Office.

It is important for all citizens to know that the Sheriff’s Office is interwoven into America’s democratic society. Citizens should understand that the Sheriff is a law enforcement officer who is directly responsible to the citizens in the counties in which he or she serves. The Sheriff’s Office is not a county government; instead, it is the independent office through which the Sheriff exercises the powers of the public’s trust. No individual or small group hires or fires the Sheriff or has the authority to interfere with the operations of the office. One of the most important facts that people should know is that all elected sheriffs are accountable directly to the constitution of their state, the United States Constitution, local statutes, and to the citizens of their county. As primary elections near the citizens of Guilford County will have a watchful eye on the new candidates vying for the seat of Sheriff as well as reviewing the promises made by the current Sheriff, Danny H. Rogers. Read on as Sheriff Rogers reminds the citizens of the pledges, he made four years ago and shares the new plans he has to further enhance the Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Rogers shares, “I’m glad that I have an opportunity to speak about the Sheriff’s Office as I complete my first four years of being sheriff. This has been such a rewarding and fulfilling experience. I’ve learned so much doing this job and just when I think I have it down something else comes along to remind me that there is always going to be something new and interesting to learn and I’m grateful for that process because it all just keeps me on my toes. I’m grateful that God has entrusted me with this position because I couldn’t do any of it without Him. Daily I ask Him to keep my deputies safe, but I also ask Him to reveal to me how I can make a difference in the communities we serve.” Titus 3:1-2 reminds us, “that we should be subject to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good, to slander no one, to be peaceable and considerate, and always to be gentle toward everyone.” These are the principles that

Sheriff Rogers strives towards daily, and it is evident by his constituents that he has made a progressive change within the Sheriff’s Office as well as within the communities that he has made “a positive change for all Guilford County citizens”.

When Sheriff Rogers was elected in 2018 his primary focus was to restore agency accountability, accreditation, create safer outcomes with community policing, rebuild law enforcement and citizen relationships, saving tax dollars through recidivism reduction, reduce officer attrition rates, and develop equitable employment practices.

It suffices to say that Sheriff Danny H. Rogers has honored his 2018 commitments. For example, the Sheriff’s Office received full accreditation on November 19, 2021, from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA). This agency has been in existence since 1979 and is a credentialing authority, based in the United States, whose primary mission is to accredit public safety agencies, namely law enforcement agencies. This accreditation is essential because it brings continued training to the Sheriff’s Office and that training can be utilized in the community, especially with the current climate of cases like George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery which touched the hearts and minds of people all over the world, but also the citizens of Guilford County.

According to Sheriff Rogers, “We had civil unrest behind Mr. Floyd, Mr. Arbery, and Ms. Taylor. Most people were very concerned about how these events would touch our counties. When the civil unrest did come our way, we were as prepared as we could be because of the training we had. There was a lot going on in Greensboro and High Point and unfortunately, there was some property loss, but I’m very grateful that it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.”

Sheriff Rogers is grateful for the Community Resource Unit (CRU) which has been enhanced significantly since he became sheriff. “This unit was already in place, but it wasn’t very viable within the community. When I came into office, I enhanced it by employing more empowered deputies throughout all of Guilford County. We have a presence at most events in the city as well as in rural sections of the county. Prior to this enhancement citizens were not accustomed to seeing the Sheriff’s Office unless they called us for help. Now our presence is there to support the community and our presence often deters offenders. The Sheriff’s Office is not here to just incarcerate people. We’re here to help make a difference and the CRU teams help with that cause. Our citizens understand that we are here to be of service to them and I believe they really appreciate our support.”

Not only has Sheriff Rogers enhanced training programs for his deputies and has intense communication with its’ community partners he has also instituted the Sheriff’s Community Roundtable, (SCR), where they discuss what’s happening in different communities. These discussions are beneficial because it helps reduce drug and gun violence, sex trafficking, domestic violence, and break-ins. He shares, “We work collaboratively with the community to find effective ways to eradicate these things. Has it all stopped? No, it hasn’t, but what I will say is that through the roundtable meetings a lot of these issues have decreased.”

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“Our office has grown significantly, especially within our Law Enforcement, Detention Services, and Civilian departments. The Sheriff’s Office is now more diverse than it has ever been. Our numbers have increased to include all mankind. This is something the office never had before. I’m big on diversity because it’s important for people to see diverse representation.”

One other program that has significantly been revamped is the Re-Entry Program. Sheriff Rogers shares, “We have instituted a broader and better vision to the Sheriff’s Office with our Re-Entry Program. This program helps us reach those individuals who are going against the grain before they become incarcerated. We do this by addressing educational needs with our GED, drug addiction, and job readiness programs. Then we’re here once they have served their time and come back out into society. Once people serve their time they shouldn’t have to come out and be penalized again. If they are unable to get housing or gainful employment what else are they going to do? The ex-offender will resort to unlawful ways of having their basic needs met. They need to feel like a viable part of the community especially when they have a change of heart and mind. The Re-Entry Program only works when stakeholders reach out and give them hope and I am grateful that we have area businesses willing to extend that much needed hand. Believe me, I do understand that people want to know who they are living and working around, but once they have served their time, they still deserve the opportunity to become a viable part of society again, so they don’t have to revisit prison and use our tax dollars to support them.” The Sheriff’s Office has also instituted a Food Pantry Program, a Toys and Coats Program, and Fill the School Bus Program. Some of these programs were already in place, but it is under Sheriff Rogers leadership that these programs are now accessible and beneficial for all communities.

Another enhancement to the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office has been the intake of diverse deputies. Since Sheriff Rogers tenure he has significantly increased the number of sworn and non-sworn detention officers and law enforcement deputies that are more equitable and representative of the communities in which they serve. Sheriff Rogers shared that initially, it was hard to maintain qualified deputies due to the low annual salaries, but now with help from administration, they have been able to increase the pay rate. He also shared that both men and women from all walks of life are invited to apply to the Sheriff’s Office as long as they are qualified, can pass the background test, and are legal citizens of the United States. Sheriff Rogers is a firm believer that law enforcement should be representative of the communities in which they serve. He shares, “Prior to my serving as Sheriff there was a severe lack of diversity within the Guilford County Sheriff’s Office. Our office has grown significantly, especially within our Law Enforcement, Detention Services, and Civilian departments. The Sheriff’s Office is now more diverse than it has ever been. Our numbers have increased to include all mankind. This is something the office never had before. I’m big on diversity because it’s important for people to see diverse representation.” Sheriff Rogers is proud that under his leadership diversity is steadily on the rise. Currently, his sworn deputies are comprised of African Americans, American Indians, Arabians, Asians, Hispanics/Latino, and Whites. Sheriff Rogers looks forward to the day when every nation and culture can be representative of the Sheriff’s Office.

What other changes has Guilford County benefited from Sheriff Rogers being at the helm? He shares, “I have a Special Enforcement Team, (SET), and they focus on the drugs coming through the highways and backroads. Within three years we have taken close to $12 million dollars in drugs off the street. And most times these crimes are not from people who even live in our communities. We are also working on our Real Time Crime Center, (RTCC). This Center will really help us solve crimes. Now that so many people have real-time video like Ring, they can provide us with that video feed needed to help us solve crimes much quicker. The RTCC can be even more effective if the community will submit that video feed. You know you can talk all day, but the rubber meets the road with that viable and creditable video or phone call. You know I listen to people talk about defunding the police, but I do not agree with that concept. I tell people all the time that we don’t want to defund the police; instead, you want to reform the police and the way to do that is through continual diversity training because understanding people from different walks of life is important. Another thing I advocate for within the Sheriff’s Office is mental health wellness. As the Sheriff I’ve seen things that are gut wrenching and so have my deputies. So, I am a proponent for counseling. We must learn how to deal with what we see daily because we’re human beings. I don’t want my deputies internalizing any negative emotions, so counseling is essential and not frowned upon within the office. I certainly advocate for counseling, self-care, and spending quality time with family. You know I am not a oneman show. I have a phenomenal upper-level command team and I have a phenomenal group of experienced men and women who serve beside me. Together we all are making a difference in Guilford County.”

As you can see, Sheriff Rogers has more than maintained his campaign promises to the citizens of Guilford County. He has enhanced the Sheriff’s Office by strengthening relationships with the court system on all levels; he has increased salaries; he has hired an unprecedented amount of qualified and culturally diverse deputies, and he has restructured old programs while simultaneously initiating new ones that benefit the community. He shares, “You know the Sheriff’s Office is set apart from other law enforcement agencies because we are directly accountable to the citizens. Well, I believe that I have been accountable, and I also have the experience needed to further this office, so it works to the benefit of all not just some. Real talk, I stopped by K&W for dinner one evening and I held the door open for this little fragile woman and she said, ‘Thank you, baby.’ Then she really looked at me and said, ‘You’re the Sheriff, aren’t you?’ I said yes, ma’am, I am, I’m Danny, and she said, ‘Good to meet you, Sheriff. I bet you didn’t know you had a lot of white Grand Ma’s praying for you.’ And I thanked her and her friends for their prayers. That short conversation gave me chills because she didn’t have to share that with me. I could see the sincerity in her eyes. I am so grateful for all the prayers for me and my deputies because we can’t do this job without the prayers or without God. Real talk I love what I do. This has been the greatest experience in my life because it has made me a better person overall. Being the sheriff means you’re a servant of the people. You’re not serving yourself or looking for power and privilege. I do this job effectively because I won’t be a puppet for anyone, but I will be the sheriff for everyone. I genuinely believe in Guilford County and the relationships that the Sheriff’s Office have fostered within the communities we serve.”

If you would like to continue seeing “A Positive Change for All Guilford County Citizens” then join the 2022 campaign to re-elect Danny H. Rogers as Guilford County Sheriff on May 17, 2022. You can visit www.dhrogers4sheriff.com or follow his campaign on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.