Stein calls for new investments to target sexual assault, fentanyl crimes

Attorney General Josh Stein (Photo: Ahmed Jallow)

After announcing last month that North Carolina had eliminated what had been the largest backlog of rape kits in the country, Attorney General Stein said on Wednesday there is more to do.

“The work is not done, there are more leads to pursue,” Stein said.   

Stein, who is also the Democratic Party nominee for governor, said he wants to create a cold case unit to solve longstanding sexual assault crimes and alleviate some of the burden on local law enforcement agencies already grappling with staffing shortages. 

“Experience has taught us that many of the offenders are serial rapists, so we need to work quickly to solve these cases and get more of them off the streets where they can harm no one else.” 

Stein is seeking $23 million to establish a “Fentanyl Control Unit,” a “Sexual “Assault Cold Case Unit,” and to hire additional staff for the Criminal Appellate Division of the Attorney General’s office. This funding would also cover pay bonuses for graduates of the Basic Law Enforcement Training program, as well as bonuses and relocation stipends for out-of-state police officers who wish to continue their career in North Carolina. 

“Fentanyl is killing nine people each day in the state, and in 2022, there were nearly 3,400 fentanyl-related overdose deaths in North Carolina,” Stein said. He said he would like to hire several attorneys to support local prosecutors in handling these trafficking and overdose cases. 

Stein appeared at a press conference with several police chiefs and sheriffs to highlight his legislative priorities and to introduce proposals that he said would address staffing shortages in law enforcement agencies.  

Durham County Sheriff Clarence Birkhead said that there are nearly 85 vacancies at the county’s detention center, which currently holds nearly 400 people. This shortage has forced him to occasionally deploy some of his patrol deputies to fill the gap.  

“I’m so appreciative for the partnership we have with the attorney general’s office pushing for a living wage, and equitable pay for law enforcement [and for] removing some of the barriers so that we can recruit from out of state and fill our vacancies,” said Birkhead. 

Orange County Sheriff Charles Blackwood called for a change in recruitment tactics to meet today’s needs.   

“Someone is going to wear the badge, and we want it to be the best and brightest,” said Blackwood. “Recruitment and retention of quality employees is not an issue unique to law enforcement. I think every facet of America’s workforce would agree that the times we live in have changed, so too must the way we recruit and retain our respective employees.”  

Apex, Mebane and Zebulon police chiefs also attended the press conference.  

“I would challenge everybody to get behind this initiative because this is what we’re going to need to do to move the needle,” said Apex police chief Jason Armstrong who is set to retire on October 31.  

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