Local raises, including the one for Durham Sheriff, are often closer than they appear, making voter turnout key. | Edmond Dantès/Pexels
Local raises, including the one for Durham Sheriff, are often closer than they appear, making voter turnout key. | Edmond Dantès/Pexels
With the election just more than a week away, Durham is seeing the race for sheriff pick up steam.
"I raised my children in this community and I'm committed to making this community as safe as possible,” Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said, as reported by WTVD. “Birkhead is your choice and I want people to believe in the successes we've had.”
Birkhead is running against challenger Maria Jocys. On Wednesday, Birkhead was at church on Holloway Street talking about voter registration as well as how people can expunge their records. At about the same time, Joycs was at a house in a Durham neighborhood meeting and greeting people. Both feel confident in their position prior Election Day.
Birkhead, making the comment about raising his children in Durham, said he is committed to doing what he can to improve public safety. He says he's concerned with rising gun violence as much as anyone, so he created a STRIKE team that works closely with neighboring counties to find the most violent offenders. He's also looking to bring back Project Safe Neighbors, which is a partnership with the US Attorney's Office to identify other people committing violent crime.
Joyce is a retired FBI agent. She spent the last five years investigating gang violence in Durham, but it is said that she lacks name recognition in the race.
Some of her work, however, has helped bring 9-year-old Z'Yon Person's killer to justice. It was the first case to be prosecuted federally in Durham because of gang violence.
"We have to try something because nothing is being tried,” Joycs said. “We come up with a plan to see if it works and engage with people who are most in need of relief from gun violence, gang activity and get them in partnership." Joycs said she thinks it’s necessary to examine partnerships with organizations like the ATF, the DEA and the "experienced" gang task force with the Durham Police Department, saying it might be better to go directly into neighborhoods affected by gun violence. Bringing resources to those who need it the most.
Alerts Sign-up