Today deputies with the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office participated in the Paint the Town Blue Children's Parade and Festival at Mac Bear Hodges Festival Park . This event was for preschool children and brings awareness to Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Week of the Young Child. The theme for this years event was "Tiny Seeds, Big Dreams." McGruff made an appearance and the kiddos got the opportunity to show their creativity by coloring a replica of a Sheriff Patrol veh

Chief Deputy Brown, Lieutenant Waters, K9 Athos, and Corporal Davis had a great time attending Career Day at Northeast Elementary School ! Students had the opportunity to learn more about careers in law enforcement and the many specialized units within the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. Deputies spoke about K9 operations, highlighting how K9 Athos assists deputies with tracking, narcotics detection, and protecting both deputies and the community. Students were also introdu

This week, Sheriff Scott Hammonds and the staff of the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office proudly recognize and celebrate our dedicated Telecommunicators during National Telecommunicators Week. These professionals are the calm voice in moments of crisis, the first point of contact in emergencies, and a vital link between our community and first responders. Their commitment, professionalism, and ability to remain composed under pressure play a critical role in ensuring the safet

On Monday, April 13, 2026, the Beaufort County Grand Jury returned a True Bill of Indictment against 24-year-old Brady O’Neil Daniels of Wallace, NC, charging him with the murder of Billy Joe Bell in 2023. Deputies with Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Pender County Sheriff’s Office, took Daniels into custody at his residence in Wallace NC. Daniels was transported to Beaufort County and confined in the Beaufort County Detention Center under no bon

Lieutenant Waters, K9 Athos, and 911 Director VanNortwick had a great time attending Career Day at Chocowinity Middle School! Students had the opportunity to learn more about careers in law enforcement and the many specialized units within the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. Deputies spoke about K9 operations, highlighting how K9 Athos assists deputies with tracking, narcotics detection, and protecting both deputies and the community. Students were also introduced to the Sh

From Sheriff Hammonds In this month’s newsletter, I want to share how our team has been serving you and how we can keep Beaufort County safe together. In March, we worked side by side with our community through changing weather, public safety challenges, and visits to local schools and partner organizations. As we move into April, I’m asking families to join me in focusing on child safety and abuse prevention, and I invite you to participate in our upcoming events, say hello

Last week, the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association hosted the second week of its Jail Administrators’ Institute of Leadership (JAIL) in Chapel Hill. Captain Satchell, the jail administrator for Beaufort County, was in attendance and graduated from the Institute this week. JAIL is one of several training institutes offered by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association. It is a two-week long intensive training program for county jail administrators. During weeks one and two of

On Tuesday, April 7, 2026, Deputies with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call in a wooded area near Pamlico Plantation in Washington NC. Upon arrival, Deputies located two decedents identified as 80-year-old Gary Dennis Halford and 78-year-old Danee Louise Halford of Washington NC. After a thorough investigation, the deaths have been deemed a murder-suicide. Sheriff Hammonds expresses his condolences to the family and friends involved in this tragic ev

Sheriff Scott Hammonds reports that Deputies are currently on scene at a shots fired call in the area of Pamlico Plantation in Washington NC . An active investigation is underway. At this time, Sheriff Hammonds wants to reassure the community that there is no ongoing threat to the public. Residents are encouraged to remain aware of their surroundings and allow deputies the space needed to safely conduct their investigation. Additional updates will be provided as more informat

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office has received another report of a scam involving parking and toll violations. The scammers are attempting to get victims to scan a QR code to settle unpaid fees. Though this document looks official, it is yet another attempt to scam you out of your hard earned money. Don't take the bait. If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, please report it to your local law enforcement agency.

It was an honor to support Special Olympics Beaufort/Hyde this week! What a great opportunity to celebrate the talents and achievements of those with intellectual disabilities! We are proud to stand behind these amazing athletes!

Due to increased wildfire risk, the N.C. Forest Service has issued a ban on all open burning and has canceled all burning permits statewide effective 6 p.m. Saturday, March 28 until further notice.

Under North Carolina law, the ban prohibits all open burning in the affected counties, regardless of whether a permit was previously issued . The issuance of any new permits has also been suspended until the ban is lifted. Anyone violating the burn ban faces a $100 fine plus $183

On Thursday, March 12, 2026, at approximately 4:30PM, Lieutenant Waters was patrolling the US 17 Business area near Speedway in Chocowinity when he responded to a BOLO for an active-duty Marine experiencing suicidal thoughts. Lieutenant Waters quickly located a vehicle matching the description from the alert and made contact with the Marine at the gas pumps. Upon approaching, Lieutenant Waters observed that the individual had multiple self‑inflicted lacerations to his arm and

Sheriff Hammonds would like to make the public aware of several scams that are currently affecting Beaufort County residents. The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office received a report of a scam where a person claiming to be a lawyer told a resident her local church pastor was involved in a crash that injured a pregnant woman and was in jail. The suspect requested $4,500 in cash to get the pastor out of jail and cover the woman's medical expenses. The suspect requested the victim

The Beaufort County Sheriff's Office has received another report of a scam involving parking and toll violations. The scammers are attempting to get victims to scan a QR code to settle unpaid fees. Though this document looks official, it is yet another attempt to scam you out of your hard earned money. Don't take the bait. If you believe you have been the victim of a scam, please report it to your local law enforcement agency.

March 16, 2026 at 08:55 Here is the latest update from the US National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City NC The threat for severe thunderstorms continues today, March 16. This has the potential to be a significant severe weather event. In addition, we have expanded the wind advisory further west for gusty south winds of up to 45-50 mph this afternoon to early evening. Key Messages • Enhanced (Level 3 of 5) risk of severe thunderstorms, with the risk increasing to Moder

Sheriff Scott Hammonds, Lieutenant Waters, K9 Athos, and Corporal Davis had a great time attending Career Day at P. S. Jones Middle School! Students had the opportunity to learn more about careers in law enforcement and the many specialized units within the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office. Deputies spoke about K9 operations, highlighting how K9 Athos assists deputies with tracking, narcotics detection, and protecting both deputies and the community. Students were also introd

On March 9, 2026, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a missing 36-year-old intellectually disabled endangered female resident of Beaufort County. Deputies immediately initiated an investigation and quickly developed information regarding the circumstances surrounding the individual’s disappearance. Detectives began tracking the victim’s cellphone and quickly determined the victim was traveling west through Minnesota. Working collaboratively with law

Today, Corporal Davis spent the day with students at Eastern Elementary School, sharing information about the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Drone Program. The students had the opportunity to learn how drones help our deputies with public safety, search operations, and protecting our community. We always enjoy opportunities like this to connect with our youth and show them how law enforcement works to keep everyone safe. Building positive relationships with the next genera

Lieutenant Waters and K-9 Athos spent the day with the students at Chocowinity Primary School. The children learned about the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office Drone program and K-9 Team. We are always excited to interact with our youth in a positive way!

Today Beaufort County took another step in the right direction in providing assistance to women in need. Open Door Women's Shelter celebrated the opening of their new addition with a ribbon cutting ceremony. The new section adds 3,000 square feet to the facility and a total of 25 beds. This includes two, two-bedroom dormitories for families, and 11 beds and lockers for single women. This facility will help both single women and women with children who are unhoused. Sheriff

No student should have to choose between having their period and going to school. Thanks to our collaboration with United Way Inner Banks , we were able to prep and distribute Flow Kits for Hyde County Public School System & Beaufort County Schools, NC! It was a full community effort, with support from the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office, NC, to make the delivery! #DignityforAll #PeriodPovertyAwareness #PeriodPowerNC #DiaperOnLCF Support the Period Power Program: https://www

A coordinated two-month investigation led by the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit and K-9 team, in partnership with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) and the Greenville Police Department (GPD), has resulted in the disruption of a significant fentanyl and cocaine distribution network operating in Beaufort and Pitt counties. On February 13, 2026, investigators executed search warrants at two locations — one in Washington, North Carolina, and a rel

Since 2022, the number of reported opioid/fentanyl overdoses has dropped by 77 percent . This huge reduction can be attributed to focused enforcement on fentanyl dealers and enhanced partnerships with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies. In addition, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office has partnered with local nonprofits and community outreach groups to provide and promote education on the dangers of fentanyl. Through our partnership with Beaufort County Crim