Dare sheriff candidate Rodney Rawls

Rodney Rawls (Photo courtesy Rodney Rawls’ online campaign)

By Corinne Saunders

Editor’s Note: This is one of our weekly open-access articles. Candidate information comes from public records, verbal responses during a public forum and written responses to questions from Outer Banks Insider. To support Outer Banks Insider’s work and to access all of it, click the button below.

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Rodney Rawls, one of four Republican primary candidates for Dare County sheriff, in his campaign has highlighted his dedicated local public service since he was a teenager, as he is from Dare County, and that he is currently working patrol as a master sergeant with the Kill Devil Hills Police Department.

•        Read about candidate Theodore “Teddy” Daniels here.

•        Read about candidate Jeffrey “Jeff” Deringer here.

•        Read about candidate Jimmy Pierce here.

  
  

No candidates from any other political parties filed to run in the sheriff’s race, meaning the primary winner will most likely win the general election. Longtime Dare County Sheriff John D. “Doug” Doughtie is retiring this November, at the end of his term.

Sheriffs in North Carolina are not required to have any law enforcement experience. But one of the questions at the Dare County GOP’s sheriff candidate forum on Thursday, Jan. 8, in Nags Head, asked about candidates’ respective North Carolina law enforcement credentials and experience.

Three of the candidates, including Rawls, said they hold a North Carolina Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate, among many other certifications.

“I attended Manteo schools, and I started my public safety career when I was 13 years old as a junior firefighter with the Roanoke Island Fire Department,” Rawls said at the forum.

“I continued in that role as a junior, and then joined the fire service when I was able to at the age of 18,” he said. “I graduated from Manteo High School, and I did an apprenticeship under the late Sheriff [Bert] Austin and Chief Deputy Rodney Midgett with the Dare County Sheriff’s Office.”

After graduating from the Basic Law Enforcement Training program, Rawls said the Kill Devil Hills Police Department hired him at 20 years old—and he’s now going on 22 years with that department, having worked his way up the ranks.

The Kitty Hawk resident said he’s found his purpose in public safety, “and I dedicated my whole life to this county.”

He stressed his focus on positive leadership, noting that he’s been in his department longer than any other current staffer.

“I attended the FBI Command College for leadership, the West Point Leadership Academy and several classes through Wake Tech Public Safety Center to better myself as a leader,” he said.

“I try to encourage others to be the best they can be, and I do that by doing the job every day,” he added. “I am a North Carolina-licensed foster parent. I have fostered several children from Dare County and other counties within the last several years and had the opportunity to adopt my first daughter last year at the age of 2 years old.”

He noted that he teaches CPR and is committed to keeping all families safe.

“I take pride in knowing that when people go to sleep at night, they know that I’m on the streets looking over them and knowing that they’re safe because I will give them 110 percent every time I walk out of the door,” he said.

In response to Outer Banks Insider’s question about what he thinks his responsibility to the public is as sheriff, he stressed the importance of establishing safety and trust.

“The sheriff’s foremost responsibility is to provide safety while earning and maintaining the public’s trust through integrity, transparency and accountability,” Rawls said. “The sheriff is the face of the agency and must accept responsibility when issues arise. That responsibility includes ensuring that all personnel operate within state and local laws and uphold the U.S. Constitution.”

When asked how he plans to hold the sheriff’s office accountable to the citizens of Dare County, he highlighted the importance of leadership and open communication.

“Accountability begins with leadership,” Rawls said. “The sheriff must place the right people in supervisory roles and ensure that first-line supervisors reflect the values and standards of the office. Open communication with the public and addressing concerns proactively—not reactively—are essential to preventing conflict and maintaining public confidence.”

Law enforcement employment history

Rawls was hired with the Kill Devil Hills Police Department on June 7, 2004, and is currently employed as a police officer master sergeant, according to records from Kill Devil Hills Town Clerk James Michael O’Dell.

Rawls has been promoted multiple times in his career, records show. He was promoted to “Police Officer I” in December 2005, “Police Officer II” in December 2006, “Master Police Officer” in December 2007, “Police Corporal” in July 2008 and was reclassified to “Police Sergeant” in August 2009, according to records O’Dell provided.

Subsequent promotions were to “Sergeant 1st Class” on March 2, 2020, “Senior Sergeant” on Feb. 14, 2022, and “Master Sergeant” on March 24, 2025, records showed.

When asked what has motivated him to work for the police department for so long, Rawls responded, “My motivation has always been a deep commitment to service. While my career has included challenges, I do not quit—my morals, ethics and integrity simply will not allow it.”

He continued, “The Kill Devil Hills Police Department gave me an opportunity at the age of 20 to serve and make a difference, and I have remained committed to honoring that opportunity through dedication to both the department and the citizens it serves.”

When asked what he was most proud of in his law enforcement career to date, he pointed to overcoming challenges.

“I am proud of the career I have built through perseverance, dedication and service,” Rawls said.

“Entering law enforcement as a minority and growing up in the community I now serve, I was often told that I would not succeed or be respected,” he continued. “Rather than accepting those limitations, I chose to work harder and prove—to myself and to my community—that commitment and integrity can overcome any obstacle. Those challenges continue to motivate me every day to put on the uniform, serve with pride, and answer the call for service.”

In addition to working full-time for the police department, Rawls said that he continues volunteering with the Kill Devil Hills Fire Department.

He also worked part-time for Dare County Emergency Medical Services (EMS) for 11.5 years, resigning around last April, he said.

“That decision was made after I adopted my daughter and chose to devote as much time as possible to being a parent,” Rawls said. “I began fostering her at the age of two, and my priority became providing her with my full attention and support.”

During the forum, Rawls said he has been involved in multi-agency emergency management response, and because of his fire and EMS skill set is relied on locally as well.

“I have deployed to other parts of the state of North Carolina during flooding events with the fire department and with the EMS to assist,” he said.

As he continues volunteering with the fire department, he attends trainings when able, he noted.

“Between shift work at the police department and family responsibilities, I remain very active in both public safety and the community,” he said.

A positive and the first challenge to address 

When asked what he thinks the Dare County Sheriff's Office is currently doing well, Rawls pointed to the county’s interagency drug task force and the more recently established regional drug task force with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI).

“The drug task force established several years ago has proven to be highly effective and continues to be a positive force in our community,” he said. “Additionally, the development of a district-wide, SBI-led drug task force shows strong promise for strengthening investigations and improving case outcomes in the future.”

He added that the sheriff’s office’s telecommunications and detention divisions have “taken on responsibilities for additional counties and have performed well in these expanded roles.”

For continuing success, he opined that infrastructure improvements would be necessary “to ensure personnel are properly supported and service levels remain high.”

When asked what the first challenge he’d address as sheriff is and how he’d do it, Rawls indicated that he’d begin with personal interaction with all staff members, as they are “the foundation” of the agency.

“I would make it a priority to speak personally with personnel across all divisions, including patrol, administration, the 911 center and detention,” he said.

“From day one, I want employees to know that I care about them, that I am invested in their success, and that I will never ask more of them than I am willing to give myself,” he added. “When our team understands the mission and feels supported, the citizens of Dare County will experience a safer community and stronger trust in their law enforcement partners.”

Rawls said that law enforcement has been his calling since he took his oath of office.

“I care deeply about people and about this community, and I will continue to lead with dedication, integrity and commitment as your next sheriff of Dare County,” he said.

“I have worked hard to build my career through actions, not words, and I have many more years of service I am ready to give,” he said.

“From day one, I want employees to know that I care about them, that I am invested in their success, and that I will never ask more of them than I am willing to give myself.”

 — Rodney Rawls, candidate for Dare County sheriff

Position on ICE

During the Jan. 8 GOP forum, candidates fielded a question about their position on supporting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) enforcement on the local level.

“We do not have authority to deport people,” Rawls said, noting that local law enforcement must follow the law and the mandates.

House Bill 318, passed last spring, went into effect on Oct. 1, 2025, over Gov. Josh Stein’s veto.

All state legislators representing Dare County or parts of Dare County—Sen. Robert “Bobby” Hanig (R-Currituck), Rep. Edward “Ed” Goodwin (R-Chowan) and Rep. Keith Kidwell (R-Beaufort)—voted in favor of the bill and voted to override the governor’s veto. Kidwell is listed among bill sponsors.

Rawls explained that if someone violates the law and is transferred to Dare County Detention Center, their name goes in a database, but “what happens to these persons after that point is solely up to ICE.”

When asked by Outer Banks Insider this month if his position had changed, he indicated that it had not, noting that the sheriff’s office would “follow the law” and perform the functions required by federal and state law.

“While I am not opposed to considering participation in the 287(g) program in the future, Dare County currently does not have the staffing or resources necessary to responsibly implement and support such an agreement,” he opined.

“At this time, only approximately 15 counties in North Carolina participate in the program,” he continued. “Before pursuing it, our county must first ensure we have the appropriate infrastructure and personnel in place.”

According to ICE’s 287(g) flyer, the task force model “allows your officers to identify and report suspected aliens not charged with crimes (under ICE oversight) and exercise limited immigration authority on ICE-led task forces.”

It “allows your officers to enforce limited immigration authority while performing routine police duties or as an active participant in an ICE-led task force,” according to an ICE brochure.

ICE made headlines with its high-profile killings of two U.S. citizens in January, with eight total deaths attributed to ICE last month, according to a Jan. 28 article in The Guardian that’s included on the Congress.gov website.

Click here to watch the video of the Dare sheriff candidate forum recorded by Christina Williams.

Rawls filled out information on Vote411.org, and he has a campaign website and a campaign Facebook page.

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