Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood was elected president of the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association (NCSA) this week. Blackwood is set to assume the position upon the 100th anniversary of the organization.

Blackwood is the second Orange County sheriff to serve as president of the organization. Sheriff C.D. “Buck” Knight served a term in the position in 1971.

“I love knowing that Buck Knight served as the NCSA president,” Blackwood said in a release. “My parents thought the world of him. He was ‘their Sheriff.’ I started my career working for him as a deputy at the end of 1980. Maybe someday someone I hired will have a similar opportunity to simultaneously serve their county and their state. It’s a great feeling.”

The NCSA states its missions is “to protect, promote, preserve, and enhance the Office of Sheriff in North Carolina through education, training, and legislative initiatives that increase public safety and protect the rights of the residents of North Carolina.”

The president of the organization represents the 100 sheriff’s at meetings of the National Sheriff’s Association, the State Bureau of Investigation, the North Carolina General Assembly and the North Carolina Victims’ Assistance Network. Additionally, the president appoints positions within NCSA like the Auditing, Training and Legislative Committees as well as appointees to the Domestic Preparedness and Readiness Committee, the NC Fully Autonomous Vehicle Committee and the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative.

“Each sheriff serves a community with different priorities and viewpoints regarding critically important and incredibly complex topics,” Blackwood said. “For the next year, not only will I be making decisions based on the goals and values of Orange County voters, I will also be discussing statewide issues such as mental health, immigration, gun violence, and the legalization of marijuana with 99 other sheriffs. We will wrestle with our differences and arrive at a policy position that we feel is the best path forward for the entire state.”

“The NCSA has accomplished a great deal, and I am proud to lead us into a second century of service,” the Orange County Sheriff continued. “It is a high honor and a tremendous responsibility to serve as president of this group. I appreciate my family’s support and the work of my team at the office, both of which are essential to my ability to assume this role.”

“It has been an honor to be the President of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association for the past year,” Outgoing NCSA President Ed McMahon said in a release. “I have had the privilege to serve with Sheriff Blackwood on the Executive Committee for the past three years. Sheriff Blackwood is highly respected by his peers and he is a leader among leaders. I am confident that Sheriff Blackwood will do an excellent job as President of the Association.”

Blackwood is set to be installed as president Tuesday evening.

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