Investigations

Our established working hours are Monday through Friday 8 am - 5 pm. However, to be successful in solving cases, these hours are just "guidelines." Many investigators will be in the office early and leave late into the evening hours. They will also work on weekends. There is an investigator on-call 24-hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. The on-call investigator can be called out on a moment's notice by the Patrol Shift Lieutenant. Narcotics is also an investigative branch of the Sheriff's Office. Narcotics officers work all hours of the day and night working on all types of drug investigations.

We are responsible for investigating all types of crimes, such as homicide, sexual assault, assaults inflicting serious injury, white collar crimes, narcotic cases, breaking and entering, larceny and arson cases. It is our responsibility to process crime scenes and collect evidence necessary to identify the perpetrator, and forward the cases to the District Attorney's Office for prosecution.

We review every report that is taken by patrol and make a determination if there are enough solvability factors to initiate an active investigation.

Investigations may work many special assignments for the Sheriff, including background investigations on potential employees and internal investigations. We work very closely with the surrounding agencies in Caldwell County, Catawba County, Wilkes, Alexander, and Burke County. We also work with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigations and the Department of Social Services. Several of our investigators are members of boards throughout the region, including, but not limited to Child Fatality Prevention, North Carolina Homicide Investigators Association, Child Advocacy and Child Sexual Abuse Protocol,, NC Crimestoppers Association Board, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, and NC International Association of Arson Investigators.