Press Releases

Today, Governor Roy Cooper signed Executive Order 143. to addresses the social, environmental, economic, and health disparities in communities of color that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Order directs state agencies and offices to provide targeted measures to help communities of color that have been affected by the pandemic.

Department of Public Safety Secretary Erik A. Hooks has named Paul Sherwin to be the new director of Private Protective Services. Sherwin has been serving as that agency’s deputy director since last year. 

An additional 31 asymptomatic offenders at Caswell Correctional Center have tested positive for COVID-19, as part of a mass testing operation conducted on Friday by the Division of Prisons. A total of 374 offenders tested negative, meaning 7.7 percent of the 405 offenders tested were asymptomatic yet positive for the virus.

The N.C. Department of Public Safety today announced it will extend until July 31 an initiative that provides voluntary COVID-19 testing to employees in its Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice (ACJJ). The initiative was expanded past its original tentative May 31 end date after the State Health Plan announced earlier this week it would extend to July 31 the time period in which state employees covered by the plan could receive COVID-19 testing at no cost. 

To protect staff and offenders, Division of Prisons officials today initiated the testing of all 420 offenders at Caswell Correctional Center, as well as continuing to provide testing access and to encourage staff to be tested. Data and previous experience at Neuse Correctional Institution prompted the decision to test all offenders at the facility.

The Division of Adult Correction and Juvenile Justice has named Jennifer Walsh as warden of the Columbus Correctional Institution in Whiteville. She had served as associate warden for custody and operations at the prison since 2010. “Warden Walsh is an experienced prison administrator with decades of hands-on knowledge,” said Todd Ishee, Commissioner of Prisons Todd Ishee. “She is an excellent addition to our amazing team of prison leaders who work so hard to protect the staff, offenders and our communities.”

The State of North Carolina and FEMA are announcing more than $6.7 million to reimburse Town of Spring Lake Hurricane Florence-related expenses. The funds reimburse repairs made to the Cumberland County town’s water and wastewater treatment plant. Repairs included removing and replacing destroyed electrical and mechanical components critical to the plant’s operations. FEMA has approved a total of more than $7.2 million in Hurricane Florence-related reimbursements to the Town of Spring Lake.

Yesterday, state and local officials shut down two illegal bars in Greensboro resulting in arrests, charges and seizures.  ALE special agents began an investigation into a Greensboro residence after community members complained of illegal drug and alcohol sales. The residence, 918 Hackett Street, was the source of numerous shootings, assaults and calls for service, and was a drain on local law enforcement resources. 

A minimum custody offender who escaped yesterday from Wake Correctional Center was caught today in the act of trying to steal a car, according to the Chapel Hill Police Department. Offender Gerrhon D. Mills, (#0987453) was caught around noon today by the Chapel Hill Police Department. Mills was last seen around noon yesterday at the prison in Raleigh.

The Division of Prisons has resumed a limited number of transfers of offenders to make room for other offenders sentenced to state prison. The movement of offenders currently housed in state prisons is being done in phases to prepare for the gradual reopening of the courts and the removal of a moratorium on the acceptance of prison-sentenced offenders from the county jails.