7 Great Resources for Defund Sheriff Campaigns

Sheriffs are receiving millions of dollars to jail and harm our loved ones. Sheriffs and their deputies are responsible for approximately 1000 deaths in jails each year. Despite the evidence of how deadly jails are for our community, Carolina Public Press reports that “North Carolina counties have spent more than 1.5 Billion dollars collectively to build and maintain jails in the last 20 years.” We must defund sheriffs in our counties in order to stop the creation of deadly jails. We have created this resource page in hopes of inspiring and equipping organizers with the necessary tools needed to create a local defund your sheriff campaign.

1. Defund Your Sheriff

Defund Sheriffs is designed to support organizers in launching their own campaigns to defund their local sheriff. The toolkit brings into focus how sheriffs fit into the broader law enforcement landscape and why defunding them is an essential step towards building more safe and just communities across the country.

It also provides a step-by-step guide, applicable to any locale, on how to restructure public safety to prevent jail deaths and put a stop to the over-policing of Black and Brown communities. This includes guidance for understanding budgets, identifying leverage points, and creating an alternative vision that prioritizes safety and community needs.

Click here to check out the full Defund Sheriffs toolkit. We are working on the Spanish version of the toolkit; click here to view the draft.

2. Show Me the Money: Sheriff and Jail Budgets

We have gathered budget information from the sheriff and jail budgets to support your defund your sheriff campaign design. Please use the table below to find the 2021 budgets of your local sheriff and jail. Scroll right on the table to see all information provided.

You can also use this map we created to identify how much the sheriff and jail budget is in your county. The color scale for this graph goes from light to dark blue, depending on the size of the budget. The darker the county is, the higher the sheriff’s budget for that particular county. And, the grey counties mean that we haven’t finished calculating their sheriff budget. We will continue to update this graph to include all 2022 sheriff budgets in North Carolina.

3. Jail Deaths Reports

(Trigger Warning) Visit Disability Rights North Carolina to access current and past reports on the deadly conditions in NC Jails. Here you can find information on overcrowding, lack of health screenings, suicide rates, and torture inside NC Jails. Please, when accessing this information, be mindful of your mental health.

4. COVID-19 in Jails

Dr. Arriaga and her research team have been requesting COVID-19 related information from sheriff offices across North Carolina. Most of this information is not readily available to the public (even before COVID-19). Please visit the COVID-19 in Jails page to access information such as Pre-COVID Population, Current Population, Healthy & Safety Protocols, Decarceration Efforts/Jail Population Decrease Efforts, and COVID-19 Testing & Results. For ongoing updates of outbreaks and clusters of COVID-19 in NC correctional facilities, please visit the NC Department of Health and Human Services COVID-19 dashboard. If you are looking for some of the initial reporting of COVID-19 in jails, visit Disability Rights NC’s COVID-19 Jail blog.

5. NC Copwatch:

Choose a police or sheriff’s department to see: stops and search rates over time, stops and searches broken down by race/ethnicity, use of force during stops, and how frequently contraband was found.

6. Sheriffs and Immigration

*Data presented in this section may be more significant than displayed because of the potential underreporting from ICE.

Do you know if your sheriff is collaborating with ICE? 

Use this map to find the degree of local law enforcement assistance with immigration and customs enforcement (ICE)*. This map is based on FOIA data Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) received from ICE and  ILRC’s expertise in local and state laws and policies relating to immigration enforcement. This map is updated regularly as the laws shift and grow. 

Latest Data: Immigration and Customs Enforcement Detainers

To look up some but not all information on immigrants in your local jail, check out TRAC immigration*. You can search by state and county. 

SCAAP AWARDS Reveal Potential Numbers of Immigrant Incarceration

SCAAP Awards: State Criminal Alien Assistance Awards are reimbursed to places across the country for immigrants who were incarcerated. This is an estimate and the amounts are given only in certain cases. 

County200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019
Alamance$88,344.00$33,103.00$18,075.00$40,158.00$28,106.00$34,393.00$25,924.00$22,572.00$31,870.0048,934$38,745.00$ 46,177.00
Alexander$1,163.00$976.00
Alleghany$6,947.00$7,571.00$9,743.00$4,789.00$4,238.00$5,525.00$2,213.00
Anson
Ashe$4,837.00$6,488.00$2,817.00$15,349.00$2,770.00$1,765.00
Avery$3,304.00$5,482.00$3,859.00$1,785.00$4,090.00$2,508.00$2,868.00$6,133.00
Beaufort$20,677.00$21,407.00$6,576.00$12,532.00$9,504.00$3,209.00$3,665.00$4,255.00
Bertie
Bladen$7,651.00$4,211.00$10,658.00$8,346.00$2,035.00
Brunswick$20,566.00$12,734.00$32,890.00$21,982.00$11,507.00$33,827.00$28,342.00$13,626.00$10,564.0014,853$ 10,167.00
Buncombe$40,560.00$53,453.00$65,000.00$91,540.00$63,118.00$25,510.00$20,850.00$44,111.00$33,814.0030,343$31,230.00$ 41,133.00
Burke$6,498.00$9,101.00$14,791.00$11,938.00$8,787.00
Cabarrus$52,845.00$59,925.00$64,334.00$44,819.00$51,896.00$43,249.00$30,108.00$29,582.0032,951$35,677.00$ 45,397.00
Caldwell
Camden
Carteret$6,416.00$8,540.00$10,336.00$3,260.00$3,123.00$1,271.00$2,230.00$5,172.00
Caswell$5,847.00$3,241.00
Catawba$19,726.00$31,745.00$23,103.00$22,963.00$21,452.00$20,082.00$9,842.00$16,904.00$18,645.0014,013$30,925.00$ 21,839.00
Chatham$9,154.00$16,461.00$6,018.00$13,613.00$12,807.00$12,181.00$5,172.00$5,806.00$19,764.0022,825$32,101.00$ 12,936.00
Cherokee
Chowan$477.00
Clay
Cleveland$4,166.00$4,744.00$4,809.00$4,959.00$2,442.00
Columbus$2,421.00$9,103.00$9,860.00$7,530.00$6,996.00$6,635.00$4,054.00$1,999.00$3,484.00$5,538.00$ 3,494.00
Craven$2,564.00$7,694.00$8,644.00$4,514.00$3,402.00$5,474.00$5,375.00$3,766.004,525$4,666.00$ 5,135.00
Cumberland$46,528.00$66,474.00$77,244.00$71,370.00$46,784.00$23,797.00$30,094.00$44,872.00$41,779.0053,899$50,214.00$ 49,109.00
Currituck
Dare$50,666.00$42,305.00$8,817.00$11,264.00$13,618.00$7,719.00$10,420.00$9,655.00
Davidson$6,433.00$6,213.00$26,699.00$21,637.00$16,782.00$12,087.00$9,379.00$6,879.00$8,288.006,264$4,902.00$ 6,153.00
Davie$23,973.00$13,077.00$19,546.00$18,439.00$11,075.00$12,376.00$2,484.00$2,735.00
Duplin$19,381.00$22,491.00$16,042.00$20,939.00$14,965.00$12,743.00$14,202.00$6,199.00$7,807.0015,740$16,605.00$ 8,479.00
Durham$141,563.00$143,766.00$124,193.00$162,543.00$95,665.00$78,916.00$53,933.00$58,285.00$60,811.00115,167$129,255.00$ 144,728.00
Edgecombe$1,488.00$1,053.00
Forsyth$88,608.00$305,365.00$316,129.00$207,331.00$167,193.00$96,982.00$49,523.00$39,841.00$72,058.0091,077$108,568.00$ 171,913.00
Franklin$12,690.00$9,169.00$370.00$2,036.00
Gaston$19,585.00$23,386.00$15,135.00$17,307.00$13,886.00$6,150.00$9,837.00$18,365.00$18,981.0023,455$25,265.00$ 48,723.00
Gates
Graham
Granville$1,680.00$11,745.00$10,670.00$3,737.00$2,952.00$3,556.00$6,930.00$3,733.00$3,154.00
Greene
Guilford$132,687.00$137,916.00$154,412.00$187,639.00$82,907.00$65,979.00$66,906.00$49,991.00$66,591.0082,714$70,184.00$ 107,898.00
Halifax
Harnett$9,959.00$8,354.00$4,564.00$7,200.00$14,237.00$9,036.00$3,168.00$602.00
Haywood
Henderson$30,039.00$27,329.00$54,961.00$54,802.00$21,721.00$34,505.00$21,535.00$22,624.00$16,361.006,832$2,940.00$ 4,574.00
Hertford
Hoke
Hyde
Iredell$34,334.00$59,540.00$59,180.00$42,433.00$22,567.00$37,147.00$35,915.00$40,566.00$21,129.0036,067$18,632.00$ 26,193.00
Jackson$16,419.00$28,109.00$18,820.00$17,630.00$22,060.00$6,497.00$2,242.00$1,168.00$1,811.00997$1,030.00$ 6,292.00
Johnston$42,165.00$47,958.00$53,713.00$40,749.00$38,239.00$27,863.00$17,234.00$16,630.00$14,882.0010,095$11,607.00$ 18,368.00
Jones
Lee$16,001.00$23,737.00$19,735.00$15,601.00$11,262.00$8,236.00$4,701.00$2,860.00$8,343.0014,326$6,840.00$ 12,217.00
Lenoir$7,372.00$11,776.00$9,123.00$10,089.00$6,672.00$5,825.00$4,060.00$1,686.0010,095$7,303.00$ 9,508.00
Lincoln$13,775.00$9,047.00$17,433.00$11,132.00$5,862.00$4,832.00$5,901.00$6,171.00
Macon
Madison
Martin
McDowell$7,402.00$3,418.00$2,761.00$4,992.00$1,115.00$2,185.00$1,331.00$2,936.00
Mecklenburg$1,029,350.00$850,668.00$659,851.00$386,584.00$232,771.00$264,700.00$287,026.00$269,859.00$305,650.00259,954$277,608.00$ 376,952.00
Mitchell
Montgomery$2,700.00$7,872.00$5,216.00$2,274.00$5,992.00$3,079.00$2,855.00$2,199.00$5,716.008,438$9,390.00$ 10,024.00
Moore$24,866.00$31,335.00$18,496.00$22,132.00$18,307.00$6,424.00$15,913.00$18,423.00$6,676.0014,125$9,514.00$ 14,806.00
Nash$11,245.00$12,543.00$24,268.00$12,109.00$7,828.00
New Hanover$73,787.00$211,768.00$92,930.00$98,165.00$89,560.00$77,361.00$37,384.00$59,415.00$47,120.006,411$1,985.00$ 1,543.00
Northampton
Onslow
Orange$17,302.00$14,979.00$24,933.00$19,011.00$40,702.00$16,633.00$7,694.00$10,640.00$6,831.0010,227$27,861.00$ 67,359.00
Pamlico
Pasquotank
Pender
Perquimans
Person$4,844.00$1,275.00$4,714.00$2,454.00$1,569.00$14.00
Pitt$79,082.00$55,782.00$58,355.00$46,115.00$47,631.00$20,255.00$7,833.00$8,217.0025,107$13,710.00$ 11,645.00
Polk
Randolph$73,077.00$49,648.00$59,225.00$57,366.00$33,387.00$26,149.00$18,418.00$14,147.00$18,737.0026,028$15,936.00$ 21,371.00
Richmond$4,272.00$7,553.00$2,505.00$1,476.00$2,169.00
Robeson$4,530.00$8,683.00$14,890.00$16,466.00$9,558.00$13,809.00$23,072.00$29,058.00$29,020.0029,221$38,959.00$ 43,439.00
Rockingham$28,656.00$22,834.00$19,364.00$11,454.00$7,569.00$5,209.00$6,682.00$9,468.007,774$7,664.00$ 9,877.00
Rowan$28,194.00$21,270.00$20,906.00$14,874.00$15,254.00$28,864.00$10,630.00$8,432.007,913$12,228.00$ 16,932.00
Rutherford$1,186.00$460.00
Sampson$33,331.00$17,810.00$26,375.00$14,715.00$6,645.00$8,292.00$5,275.00
Scotland
Stanly$3,812.00$4,622.00$1,767.00$2,358.002,889
Stokes$11,656.00$16,258.00$3,601.00$5,595.00$722.00$920.00$1,629.00
Surry$14,388.00$12,107.00$26,184.00$24,934.00$10,522.00$14,028.00$4,780.00$3,859.00
Swain
Transylvania$6,362.00$3,786.00$8,323.00$4,148.00$1,515.00$2,416.00$768.00$4,577.003,236$1,124.00$ 5,595.00
Tyrrell$18,491.00$5,410.00$4,597.00$4,120.00$764.00
Union$19,832.00$31,913.00$67,788.00$91,930.00$56,197.00$21,269.00$21,389.00$21,120.00$12,111.00
Vance$3,416.00$2,831.00
Wake$418,936.00$642,162.00$871,290.00$557,891.00$62,894.00$176,115.00$58,015.00$61,467.00$112,260.00115,562$193,099.00$ 259,333.00
Warren
Washington$2,560.00$2,541.00$3,303.00$2,948.00$250.00$291.00$794.00
Watauga$8,065.00$16,833.00$25,541.00$16,439.00$6,532.00$3,339.00$4,812.00$7,914.00$4,613.007,536$363.00$ 15,970.00
Wayne$31,606.00$22,822.00$24,389.00$20,735.00$12,881.00$14,967.00$12,353.00$5,809.00$9,790.00$12,475.00
Wilkes$6,596.00$5,642.00$11,453.00$7,160.00$4,646.00$5,907.00$4,009.00
Wilson$8,957.00$19,629.00$18,571.00$14,099.00$4,587.00$9,246.00$3,683.00$3,773.00$4,768.0014,617$14,770.00$ 18,738.00
Yadkin$12,120.00$10,094.00$7,394.00$2,041.00$2,760.00
Yancey

287(g) Partnerships

Some places have 287(g) Programs–specific partnerships between the sheriff and ICE. You can see if your county has this partnership here*. In 2019, newer versions of the 287(g) called Warrant Service Officer Programs were adopted and these costs may differ from the jail model. While it’s hard to know exactly how much is spent to operate this program. Here are some tips to make some estimates*:

  • Sheriff employee salary: lookup salaries here
  • Number of active 287(g) deputized officers: have to request from sheriff’s office
  • Days immigrants are held in jails: can use the SCAAP awards above
  • Per day jail cost: request from sheriff’s office or use some estimates from Vera
  • Training cost specific to the 287(g) program: part of salary x amount of time at training

(2006-2016) Calculations adopted from Nguyen and Gill 2010 based on 2016 information*. Both Wake and Mecklenburg no longer have a 287(g) program

Item Wake County Mecklenburg County
Sheriff’s Deputy Salary $33,669.00 $47,682.00
Active Officers 17 8
ICE eligible inmate days 12,412 21,004
Per day jail cost $90.00 $166.04
Training $44,028.69 $29,342.77
Total 2016 estimate $1,941,054.00 $3,898,249.19
Total SCAAP Reimbursement Award $112,260.00 $305,650.00
Difference $1,828,794.00 $3,592.599.19
Total 10 year estimate $17,334,816.92 $38,982,491.90
7. Who Bought the Sheriff? How NC's Sheriffs Sell Out our Communities

Every day, local, state and national groups donate to North Carolina sheriffs, seeking influence and access to lucrative county contracts, lining their pockets at the expense of our community members. A 2021 report reminds us that “sheriffs are politicians who make major decisions about health and safety for millions of Americans — and they shouldn’t be up for sale to the highest bidder.”

Our training on Sheriff Campaign Finance covered the nuts & bolts of campaign finance research in North Carolina sheriff elections, connecting the dots between donations, the prison and jail industry, and the impact on our communities. If you didn’t make it to the training, we gathered the following materials to help you track down who is financing sheriff campaigns in your county. 

NCSBE Campaign Finance Manual

This manual covers North Carolina’s campaign finance laws, including details about what information should be made public from candidates and their donors (see reporting contributions on page 82). 

Sheriff Campaign Finance Training Powerpoint (04/04)

Pages 12-20 include a step-by-step guide for searching campaign funding and spending reports. 

Presentation Slides

 

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