Burr Campaign Announces "Public Safety Officials for Burr" Leadership Team | Eastern North Carolina Now

Press Release:

    Raleigh, NC     The Burr campaign today unveiled its "Public Safety Officials for Burr" leadership team. The leadership team is made up of nearly a dozen sheriffs, district attorneys, state troopers and fire chiefs who have dedicated their lives to keeping North Carolinians safe and who recognize Senator Burr's leadership in the Senate as instrumental to their ability to do their jobs. As Chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Burr understands the threats America and North Carolina faces. He has fought to provide the funding, tools and authority that public safety officials need to protect North Carolina's communities from various daily threats.

• "The safety and security of North Carolinians is paramount to Senator Burr, and he's displayed a strong commitment to ensuring public safety officials have the tools they need to do their jobs effectively. We are faced with different dangers everyday, and Senator Burr's leadership in the Senate is critical to helping us improve the safety of our communities." - District Attorney Jim O'Neill, Co-Chair of "Public Safety Officials for Burr" leadership team

    "Public Safety Officials For Burr" Leadership Team

    Sheriff Bill Schatzman: Schatzman was first elected sheriff in 2002, and is serving in his fourth elected term. His law enforcement career began in 1970 when FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover hired him as Special Agent. During his service with the FBI, the sheriff investigated violations of federal law to include foreign espionage matters. He was the FBI Police Training Coordinator for North Carolina directing FBI training of local law enforcement. Sheriff Schatzman has been and is active in Forsyth County and throughout North Carolina serving on numerous boards and commissions. He is a member of the North Carolina Sheriffs' Association (NCSA) and sits on the NCSA Legislative Committee that works with the North Carolina Legislature on matters affecting the NCSA and law enforcement. He represents the NCSA on North Carolina State Emergency Response Committee and the Governing Board of the North Carolina Law Enforcement Information Sharing and Analysis Center. He is the NCSA representative on the FBI Criminal Justice Information Services Advisory Board which supports law enforcement in North Carolina. Sheriff Schatzman graduated from Quinnipiac University where he received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. He served his country as a United States Marine from 1963 to 1966.

   

    District Attorney Sarah Kirkman: Kirkman became the district attorney for Prosecutorial District 22A, which includes Alexander and Iredell counties, on January 1, 2009. She had worked as an assistant district attorney in that office for the previous 12 years, prosecuting cases in all the criminal courts, including district, juvenile and superior courts. Ms. Kirkman attended the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University, where she graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1996. During the time she was in law school, Ms. Kirkman worked as an intern at the United States Army Criminal Investigation Command at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, the Cumberland County Public Defender's Office and the Wake County District Attorney's Office. Ms. Kirkman serves on the board of directors for the Rotary Club of Statesville/Fourth Creek, Dove House Children's Advocacy Center, Iredell County Criminal Justice Partnership Program, Alexander County Criminal Justice Partnership Program and Mooresville/South Iredell Crime Stoppers.

    Sheriff Donnie Harrison: Harrison was first elected Sheriff of Wake County in 2002 and and is serving in his third elected term. He is the first certified law enforcement officer to be elected Sheriff in Wake County. Before serving Wake County as its Sheriff, Donnie Harrison was a veteran law enforcement officer. This year marked his 49th year in law enforcement. Sheriff Harrison served on the North Carolina Highway Patrol, as Chief of Security for the Lieutenant Governor from 1988-1992, and also taught numerous courses at the Highway Patrol Academy. Sheriff Harrison has the rare distinction of having received the prestigious Order of the Long Leaf Pine, not once but twice, from two different governors. He retired in 1993 at the rank of Sergeant. Sheriff Harrison has also been recognized as one of Wake County's top canine search and rescue handlers. Even before he was elected Sheriff, he trained his own dogs and voluntarily offered his services to find lost Alzheimer's patients, lost children, and to track down criminal suspects for local law enforcement agencies. Sheriff Harrison has served as a volunteer firefighter, a youth softball coach, and was a highly respected high school and college basketball official. He has two daughters, and two grandchildren.

    District Attorney Jim O'Neill: O'Neill was appointed by Governor Bev Perdue as Forsyth County District Attorney in November 2009, and is currently serving his first term as Forsyth County's elected DA. Since taking over as the District Attorney of Forsyth County, Jim has instituted a prosecution program targeting sex offenders living within our community, as well as a new program designed to focus resources on prosecuting chronic criminal offenders. Jim is a veteran prosecutor who started serving in the Forsyth County DA's office in 1997. A graduate of Duke University, Jim earned his law degree from New York Law School. Over the past 16 years, Jim has prosecuted some of the most serious and violent offenders in our community. He has served in many leadership roles in the office, including chief motor vehicle prosecutor. He was also Forsyth County's first dedicated Domestic Violence prosecutor. While his career consumes a significant portion of his time, Jim finds time to give back to the community in his role as head coach for the Men's Lacrosse team at RJR High School. He also serves on the board of Hospice, SCAN and the Industries for the Blind. Jim and his wife are the parents of two beautiful daughters.

    Sergeant Daniel S. Jenkins, Jr.: Jenkins is a native of Pittsboro, NC and is a second generation State Trooper following in his father's footsteps. Daniel has more than 24 years of service to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. Daniel is the elected President of North Carolina Troopers Association. He also represents Troopers on the national level by serving as the South Region Coordinator for the National Troopers Coalition. Daniel is married and is the father of three girls. He is active in his Church and community.

    Chief Jeff Cash: Cash has 34 years in the fire service and he is the Fire Chief of the Cherryville FD in Cherryville, NC, and holds a degree in Fire Protection Technology. A Past President of the NC State Firemen's Association, he has received the following recognitions; NCSFA Firefighter of the Year, NC Association of Fire Chief's Career Chief of the Year, the IAFC-VCOS- Buckman Leadership Award, and the NVFC-Monihan Leadership Award. He serves on the Executive Committee of the National Volunteer Fire Council, and as a committee member of NFPA 1021, the IAFC- SHS Committee. He is an active fire service instructor. He was recently named the 2014 NC Fire Service Instructor of the Year. Chief Cash has testified twice before US congressional committees on fire service issues. He is married and has two sons, both serve in the fire service. He is a member of the First Baptist Church, Cherryville where he serves as a deacon and Sunday school teacher.

    Sheriff B.J. Barnes: Sheriff Barnes has over 41 years of law enforcement experience, 20 as Sheriff of Guilford County. Sheriff Barnes began his work in law enforcement with the same Office of which he is now Sheriff. He worked in patrol and helped develop and implement the Guilford County Sheriff's Office Vice Division. Sheriff Barnes served as a Bank Officer and Senior Investigator for what is now Bank of America. He served as Special Assistant to the Director of the Office of Motor Vehicles, Driver's License Section and as Law Enforcement Liaison for the State of North Carolina on the North Carolina Drug Cabinet. Sheriff Barnes served as a non-Commissioned Officer in the United States Marine Corps and wrote the Law Enforcement Section of the North Carolina Drug Plan. He has degrees in Criminal Justice and Juvenile Justice. Sheriff Barnes and his wife have 2 children, and 6 grandchildren.

    District Attorney Trey Robison: Robison became the district attorney for Prosecutorial District 20B, which includes Union county, in January of 2011. He had worked as an assistant district attorney in Prosecutorial District 20 for 6 years, from 1996 to 2002. Prior to serving as District Attorney, Trey was a Partner at Caldwell Helder Helms & Robison, P.A. from 2003 to 2010. He also served as an Investigative Specialist for the Federal Bureau of Investigation after graduating from the University of Oklahoma. Trey attended Wake Forest University School of Law, where he graduated with a Juris Doctor in 1996. Trey is a member of the Philadelphia Presbyterian Church in Mint Hill, NC. He is married and has three sons.

    Sheriff Sam Page: Page was elected as the Sheriff of Rockingham County North Carolina in 1998 and continues serving in this capacity to the present day. Sheriff Page has 30+ years of experience in law enforcement, beginning his career as a K-9 Handler in the United States Air Force in 1975. Sheriff Page served as President of the North Carolina Sheriff's Association for the 2010-2011 term. Sheriff Page strives daily to improve the level of training and technology at the Sheriff's Office to better serve and protect the citizens of Rockingham County.

    Warren Kennedy: Kennedy, a graduate of East Duplin High School, is a life-long resident of eastern North Carolina. He holds an AAS degree in Criminal Justice Technology from James Sprunt Community College, a BIS degree in Criminal Justice from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and is a graduate of the prestigious IACP Leadership in Police Organizations program. He served as a full-time sworn law enforcement officer in eastern North Carolina from 1986-2016; serving 17 of those years as a supervisor.Warren was awarded a Medal of Valor in 1996 for risking his own life to save the life of another and has been recognized as Officer of Year by the Fraternal Order of Police (NC Lodge 58) and Wilmington (NC) Jaycees. He was inducted into the Order of the Cape Fear by the CFCC Foundation in 2008 for his establishment of the Clint B. Robertson Memorial Endowed Scholarship. Upon his retirement from active duty law enforcement in 2016, he was awarded The Order of the Long Leaf Pine by North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory.

• Contact: Jesse Hunt
•     jhunt@burrforsenate.com