Sheriff Wants Murder Cases Reopened
Wilhelm Says Technology Like DNA Tests May Help With Unsolved Crimes;
New Uniforms Also On The Way

BY ELIZABETH COOK
SALISBURY POST

Rowan County's new sheriff wants to reopen unsolved murder cases, get more college graduates working in his department and outfit his deputies like police officers.

Sheriff George Wilhelm shared these and other plans Tuesday with the Salisbury Rotary Club.

"We hope to be exploring new frontiers in law enforcement in management and technology," Wilhelm said. He said he planned to go back to unsolved murder cases and see if DNA tests can unravel some mysteries.

Wilhelm said he and his management team have been reorganizing the department, and he hopes eventually all his officers would have at least a bachelor's degree. To that end, he has instituted a hiring freeze "so that I can raise the standards" of the department.

All the members of his management team worked their way up the ranks, he said. "I know how the little guy feels," he said. "I don't ask anybody to do anything I wouldn't do."

Wilhelm said changes will be coming to the department in January, but he doesn't want to move too fast. He doesn't want to spend money repainting patrol cars, but deputies might soon sport new police-style uniforms.

"I want people to realize we are a law enforcement agency," Wilhelm said. "So many people think sheriffs can't do anything."

Deputies, he said, are "the most powerful officers in the county," with the legal authority to make arrests anywhere.

In discussing the illegal drug trade, Wilhelm said more than once that Americans have "too many freedoms." Most crime springs from the drug trade, he said, and young people need to be educated about making the right choices. But "until our border's blockaded," he said, keeping many illegal drugs from getting into the country will be impossible.

Wilhelm said the county detention center is overflowing. The facility was built for 150 to 160 people, he said, but a week ago it housed 240. Working with judges and the district attorney, he said, he got the jail population down to 210 as of Tuesday.

"I'm here to tell you, crime is not down," Wilhelm said. He said he kept hearing about crime rates decreasing, but the numbers of people going through the courts and the detention center do not bear that out.

"There's less violent crime, but more petty crime," Wilhelm said. "Don't be fooled by statistics."

Meanwhile, Wilhelm has also changed the official name of the agency from Sheriff's Office back to Sheriff's Department. Former Sheriff Bob Martin changed the name to Sheriff's Office, but Wilhelm had indicated even before he was elected that he would probably change the name back to Sheriff's Department.

Wilhelm said he could retire in 12 years but may like to stay in office longer, if voters will let him.

Martin served 12 years before losing the November election to Wilhelm, his former deputy.