JACKSON – Between them they have over 500 years of law enforcement experience. When one hears their names, it’s like a “Who’s Who” listing of dedicated public officers.

On a bright, and cool Sunday afternoon, 15 retired lawmen and two other individuals who continue to make a difference were each honored for their 30-plus years of service within the ranks of law enforcement in Northampton County…no matter the organization they represented….state, county or municipal.

The Fraternal Order of Police Northampton County Lodge #47 hosted the event on the grounds of the J. W. Faison Administrative Building. There the local FOP Lodge was joined by family and friends of the honorees along with current day law enforcement personnel in saluting the work of these brave “peace officers.”

“Here in Northampton County we all live, work and play under a blanket of security, safety and service provided by our state, county and town law enforcement,” said FOP Lodge #47 President Wes Terry Jr. “Northampton has one of the lowest rates in the state and that is due in no small part to all of our law enforcement officers. We wanted to honor that work and we wanted to start with our senior law enforcement officers, those with 30 or more years, those who set the standard of excellence, established a tradition for the rest of us to follow.”

Terry shared a personal story about the first time he dealt, then as a child, with a law enforcement officer. It was during the time he and his family lived in Rich Square and someone attempted to break into their home in the middle of the night.

“I remember Deputy Grover Parker coming to get me out of my bed and took me downstairs where Sheriff Frank Outland and other officers were,” Terry recalled. “Even at that hour of the morning, law enforcement was there to serve. It’s our duty now to carry on that tradition.”

Lodge #47 Sergeant At Arms John Young read the names of the honorees. Each was presented a framed certificate of appreciation as Career Professional Law Enforcement Officers from NorthamptonCounty, from Terry. They were, in alphabetical order:

Sgt. Earl Baggett (Department of Corrections)

Training Coordinator Richard Baggett (Department of Corrections)

Chief Eddie Buffaloe Sr. (Rich Square Police Department and Northampton County Sheriff’s Office)

Chief Detective Brenda Burnette (Northampton County Sheriff’s Office)

K9 Officer Bobby Drewette (Department of Corrections)

Police Chief Marshall Lassiter (Severn Police Department)

K9 Officer Phillip Ricks (Department of Corrections)

Brian Simmons (North Carolina Highway Patrol)

Sheriff Ellis Squire (Northampton County Sheriff’s Office)

Captain C.L. Sumner (Northampton County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Corrections)

Chief Ted Sumner (Northampton County Sheriff’s Office; ABC Officer; and Gaston Police Department)

Police Chief Raymond Vaughan (Garysburg Police Department)

Sheriff Wardie Vincent (Northampton County Sheriff’s Office)

Chief Deputy Otis Wheeler (Northampton County Sheriff’s Office)

Sheriff John Wood (Northampton County Sheriff’s Office)

Two others were also recognized: Evelyn Edwards (Northampton Sheriff’s Office Dispatcher), and Northampton County Sheriff’s Major Milton Drew, who remains as the Sheriff’s Office Jail Administrator after retiring from the Department of Corrections, and is a charter member of FOP Lodge #47.

Lowes Distribution Center in Northampton County donated two weedeaters and a generator for the FOP Lodge to raffle off as a fundraiser. Tony Burnette represented Lowes at Sunday’s event.

“Lowes has built a great relationship with the FOP Lodge here and with law enforcement here,” said Burnette. “We will remain in the corner of law enforcement as we say thank you to all the men and women in law enforcement, past and present, for the job you do, day in and day out.”