The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office is responsible for patrolling the towns and unincorporated areas of Rutherford County, North Carolina, operating the Detention Center, transporting inmates, securing the court house, executing warrants, serving civil papers, and ensuring public safety. Additionally, the Rutherford County Sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer of the county. The current sheriff is republican Aaron Ellenburg. In 2016, the sheriff's salary was set at $82,555.
Organizational Structure Divisions and units of the Sheriff's Office.
Administration Patrol Investigations Detective Unit Forensic Unit Narcotics Unit Support Services School Resource Officers Court House Security and Bailiffs Civil Process Warrant Process Detention Center Detention Crews Transportation Detention Investigator
Rank Structure The current rank structure used by the sheriff's office had been in effect since January 2023. +RankInsigniaInformationBadgeSheriffElected to four year terms.GoldChief DeputySecond in command.GoldMajor Assists the Sheriff and Chief Deputy in supervising the divisions, completing administrative duties.GoldCaptain There are four Captains; one for each major division and one serving as Rutherford County Schools Investigator.GoldLieutenant In charge of a patrol unit and shift, or assists in detention center administration.GoldFirst SergeantAssists the administration of the Detention Center. When the 911 Communications Center was part of the Sheriff's Office, the assistant director held the rank of first sergeant.SilverSergeant Supervises a unit or crew.SilverCorporal Serves as a school resource officer or supervisor in a unit.SilverDeputy / Detective / Detention OfficerDetention Officers are non-sworn employees. Detectives are also known as "investigators".Silver The leadership hierarchy as of December 2023:
Sheriff Aaron Ellenburg Chief Deputy Randall Greenway Major Peter Wan Captain Marc Duncan, Rutherford County Schools Safety Officer Captain Chris Lovelace, Investigations Lieutenant J. Upton, Investigations Sergeant J. Greenway, Forensics Sergeant J. Mode, Narcotics Captain Jamie Keever, Detention Center (and Professional Standards) Lieutenant Patrick Wiseman Detective B. Friend First Sergeant B. Sprouse Sergeant J. Splawn, Detention Crew Sergeant B. Cole, Detention Crew Sergeant M. Logan, Detention Crew Captain Stephen Ellis, Patrol Lieutenant T. Lowery, Patrol Crew A Sergeant J. McComas, Patrol Crew A Lieutenant Allen Hardin, Patrol Crew B Sergeant B. King, Patrol Crew B Lieutenant Corey Smith, Patrol Crew C Sergeant N. Ensley, Patrol Crew C Lieutenant Michael Snyder, Patrol Crew D Sergeant Wilmer Chavez Perez, Patrol Crew D Captain Brian Gooch, Support Services Sergeant A. Greenway, School Resource Officers Sergeant E. Toney, Civil Process Sergeant J. Hoppes, Warrant Process Sergeant B. Hooper, Courthouse Security
Election of 2022
The race for sheriff began crowded with five people running for office: incumbent Chris Francis (R), Anthony 'Tony' Roberson (R), James 'Aaron' Ellenburg (R), Steve 'Theo' Theodoropoulos (R), and Jason Wease (D). Before the primary election in May 2022, Tony Roberson registered to run unaffiliated, and Chris Francis had dropped out of the race after successfully being elected three times. Aaron Ellenburg won the Republican primary, beating out Theodoropoulos by 2,360 votes. In the Democratic primary, Jason Wease won by default without opposition. Three candidates remained and were on the general election ballot: Aaron Ellenburg (R), Jason Wease (D), and Tony Roberson (U).
After receiving unofficial final election night results from all county precincts, Aaron Ellenburg is the winner of the general election being more than 11,000 votes ahead of Jason Wease and more than 13,000 votes ahead of Tony Roberson. Ellenburg will be sworn in as the 47th Sheriff of Rutherford County on Monday, December 5, 2022 and will serve until the end of the term on Monday, December 7, 2026 per North Carolina General Statute § 163-1.
Former Sheriffs
+List of Former Sheriffs of Rutherford County, North CarolinaSheriffTerm BeganTerm EndedOffice HolderRichard Singleton177917811stAndrew Hampton178117842ndJohn Lewis178417873rdJonathan Hampton178717884thWilliam Nevill178817895thJames Withrow178917906thRobert Irvine179017927thAbram Irvine179217958thDaniel Camp179517969thJames Boyle1796179810thWilliam Carson1798180911thJohn Alley1809181412thFrederick Alley1814182013thGarland Dickerson1820182114thWilliam Carson1821183615thWilliam Wilkins1836183816thJames W. Carson1838184217thWilliam Wilkins1842184618thM.O. Dickerson1846184819thMadison Kilpatrick1848185620thAndrew B. Long1856186021stMartin Walker1860187222ndJohn E. McFarland1872187823rdNoah E. Walker1878188424thJohn B. Blanton1884188825thG.W. Long1888189226thEd Beam1892189427thJ.V. McFarland1894189828thElijah A. Martin1898190829thC.E. Tanner1908191830thJames W. Beason1918192431stW.C. Hardin1924193032ndJ. Ed McFarland1930193233rdCharles C. Moore1932193434thJ. Ed. McFarland1934193635thJ. Cal Williams1936193836thCharles C. Moore1938194637thVance Wilkins1946195838thDamon Huskey1958197039thBlane Yelton1970197440thDamon Huskey1974198641stEdgar Searcy1986199042ndDaniel J. Good1990200543rdC. Philip Byers2005200644thJack L. ConnerDecember 4, 2006December 6, 201045thChris FrancisDecember 6, 2010November 30, 202246th
References