A new law that went into effect Jan. 1 brings more criminal justice reform to North Carolina.
Senate Bill 300 will require psychological screenings of sheriff's deputies and dispatchers prior to certification or employment. The law is intended to educate law enforcement on maintaining good mental health and provide information to officers on mental health resources available to them.
SB 300 applies to all newly hired sheriff deputies, detention officers, and telecommunications as of Jan. 1, unless they are already certified by the North Carolina Sheriffs' Training and Standards Commission.
"It's certainly a benefit; a plus and not a minus," said Craven County Sheriff's Office Maj. David McFadyen. "I think most law enforcement agencies and some of your larger agencies already have protocols in place to do this, this just makes it uniform across the state."
The reform comes with a price. The new law went into effect as an unfunded mandate from the state, meaning the county must foot the bill.
In order to do so, Human Resources Director Amber Parker addressed the Craven County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday asking for an amendment to the fiscal year 2021-2022 budget.
Parker explained the county expects to conduct 40 screenings throughout the remaining fiscal year (ending July 1) as each screening costs $445. The budget amendment was passed by the board unanimously for the sum of $18,000, transferred from the general fund to human resources.
It is the agency’s (sheriff's...
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