NEW HANOVER COUNTY — Democrat incumbent Ed McMahon, who has served as sheriff of New Hanover County since 2010, is campaigning to keep his position. He is being challenged by Republican Matt Rhodes.
Port City Daily has sent a questionnaire to every candidate appearing on ballots in the tri-county region, ahead of the Nov. 8, 2022, election.
PCD asked candidates to address issues pertinent to the county, from affordable housing to school safety, taxes to population growth.
McMahon’s stances on issues are discussed below. All answers are included in full; the candidate’s opinions and statements are not a reflection of Port City Daily. Responses are edited only for grammar, spelling and clarity.
The paywall is dropped on candidate questionnaires to help voters make informed decisions ahead of Election Day.
To prepare, here are a few dates for readers to keep in mind:
- Absentee ballots will be available Sept. 9 and have a Nov. 1 deadline.
- Registration to vote will open until Oct. 14; afterward, according to the state board of elections, same-day registration only will be available during one-stop early voting.
- Early voting begins Oct. 20 and remains open through Nov. 5 (3:30 p.m.).
- Election Day polls open Nov. 8, 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Locations to vote early in New Hanover County include CFCC Health Sciences and Learning Center (415 2nd. St.), Carolina Beach Municipal Building (1121 Lake Park Blvd.), CFCC North Campus (4500 Blue Clay Rd.), Northeast Library/Board of Elections (1241-A Military Cutoff Rd.), and the Senior Center (2222 S. College Rd.).
Once early voting closes, voters will need to go to the location listed on their voter registration card.
To see a sample ballot for the upcoming election, fill in voter registration info here.
Port City Daily (PCD): What are the top three safety concerns facing New Hanover County and how do you plan to address them?
Sheriff Ed McMahon: In no particular order, the following are top three concerns that I have: the opioid epidemic and drug use in general is, and has been, a concern of mine. My office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners at the federal, state, and local levels. We will continue to arrest the individuals who are bringing drugs into our community and pedaling this poison to our citizens. We will continue working with health care partners to get those that are addicted help.
The gun violence and violent crime that has plagued our community is a concern of mine. Although our violent crime is down in the unincorporated area by 17% in the last year. and overall crime is down 41% in the last 7 years, there is still work to be done. I’m committed to getting these criminals who commit violent acts off the streets and into our jail and prisons where they belong. This is why I have partnered with the Wilmington Police Department and added approximately 20 additional deputies to work inside the city and alongside Wilmington police officers to combat the gang violence inside the city. We will continue to work with our federal, state and local partners to combat crime and keep our community safe.
I have committed to keeping a safe, positive learning environment for our students in our local schools. I have added multiple school resource officer positions this year. We have one of, if not the largest, school resource officer program in the state. This shows my commitment to keeping our students safe.
I have mandated that SROs receive active shooting training, shooting skills training, mental health first aid and crisis Intervention training to name a few. I’m committed to having the best trained SROs that will keep our school’s a safe learning environment. Our SROs are committed to building rapport with students and we are now teaching the DARE program not only in elementary but in the middle and high schools.
PCD: Do NHCSO staff and deputies receive fair pay? Do you plan to advocate for more?
SEM: Earlier this year, I asked our county manager and county commissioners to increase the pay for our deputies and detention officers. Each one received a 12.2% raise and we were very thankful for that.
The job that my officers do day in and day out is dangerous and I will continue to advocate for pay advances.
PCD: In your opinion, does the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office receive adequate funding for equipment, program and resource needs? How would you like to see it improved upon?
SEM: The county manager and county commissioners have been very responsive to our needs. When we have asked for equipment, program and resource needs, they have been very accommodating. As sheriff, I will continue to ask for those items that will help us as an agency to keep our community safe and that will give us the ability to respond to challenges adequately and efficiently.
PCD: Is enough being done in our schools to ensure school children remain safe? Explain. How do you plan to build trust with youth?
SEM: I have added more SRO’s and I’m ensuring that all of our SRO’s are receiving the best training possible. We will continue to work with the current school administration to maintain a safe learning environment. The best way to build trust with our youth is through positive interactions and I have instructed all of our SROs to work hard on building a rapport with all of the students. This will build that trust we are looking for.
PCD: What is your approach to law enforcement working with individuals with mental health issues? What kind, if any, training has been/should be implemented, and do you believe in working with outside providers?
SEM: We train our deputies to be sensitive to the mental health needs of those we encounter. We train our deputies and detention officers in mental health first aid and crisis intervention training. This enables our officers to better communicate and help someone who may be experiencing a mental health crisis. I absolutely agree with working with outside providers and we do.
PCD: How will you ensure sheriff’s deputies follow proper training procedures, particularly when it comes to deescalation techniques and non-lethal force? Do you think enough is being done?
SEM: We have followed the guidelines of Senate Bill 300 along with our accreditations that ensure we are aligning with industry best practices. We also have mandatory training on de-escalation techniques and use of force. Here at the sheriff’s office, we have implemented an early warning system for our deputies and detention officers. We immediately address any and all behavior that might be detrimental to the smooth operation and function of the sheriff’s office. As your sheriff, I will not tolerate inappropriate behavior.
PCD: What are some measures you’re taking to improve transparency to the public and accountability inside the organization?
SEM: As sheriff, I have established the Sheriff’s Citizen’s Academy, which allows citizens for 10 weeks to experience all operations within the sheriff’s office. I require and hold fast that our deputies and officers adhere to our Mantra of Professionalism, Responsibility, Accountability and Integrity.
As we move forward, I will increase our technology footprint that will enable us to apprehend more criminals and ultimately keep our community safer. I will also continue to look at other positive programs that may be working at other agencies for future implementation.
PCD: Earlier this summer, some community members accused the sheriff’s office of “escorting” members of extremist group Proud Boys into a PRIDE Storytime event; the office has been clear in its denial of those claims. Do you stand against aligning with extremist organizations, such as Proud Boys, and are there policies in place to ensure deputies aren’t involved either? If no policies exist, should one be in place?
SEM: Yes we have been clear that was an absolute falsehood. I’m a law and order sheriff, and I will not tolerate anyone or any group to break the law or violate someone’s constitutional rights.
Here at the sheriff’s office we have a very thorough recruitment process which includes background, psychological and polygraph to name a few. I’m committed to having the best and brightest employees and this means not tolerating any views or actions that would be detrimental to the smooth operation of the sheriff’s office.
PCD: Is there a program or policy you’ve researched at another sheriff’s office that you think would serve NHC well? Explain.
SEM: As sheriff for the past 13 years, I have tried to be innovative by starting many programs like the Sheriff’s Citizen’s Academy, Citizens Volunteer Program, expanded the Elements program, Intelligence Unit, CompStat briefings, crime/forensic lab, and Parks Unit to name a few.
PCD: If you could do one thing differently during your time as sheriff, what would it be? Explain.
SEM: While facing the many ever changing challenges in our world, I have always tried to turn those challenges into opportunities for learning. I am certainly not perfect and do not have all the answers; however, I am committed to the service and safety to each member of this community.
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