Former Guilford County Commissioner Alan Branson filed a formal complaint in April with the Guilford County Board of Elections regarding the use of county resources to help pass a large school bond referendum, but there’s also another – albeit informal – complaint making the rounds that has to do with Guilford County Sheriff Danny Rogers in the time leading up to the Tuesday, May 17 primary.
Rogers’ critics are complaining that he’s using county resources to do some self-promotion and increase his name recognition this election year.
Former Guilford County Sheriff BJ Barnes, who lost to Rogers four years ago, said he was stunned when he recently saw a new county-funded TV commercial being run to help fill vacancies in the Sheriff’s Department. Barnes said the commercials are clearly meant to promote Rogers.
“They are more about him than about filling vacancies,” Barnes said.
Barnes said Rogers is featured prominently and also said that he wouldn’t be surprised if the commercials stop running on the morning of May 18 – the day after the primary election.
Barnes said that, when he was sheriff, he was careful not to use the resources of that office for self-aggrandizement.
It should be noted that the Sheriff’s Department is currently facing a major shortage of detention officers and the county has taken several steps to try to remedy the situation.
Another one of Roger’s biggest critics is Ed Melvin, who served as Rogers’ chief deputy and is now a sheriff’s candidate on the Republican ticket. One of Melvin’s constant refrains is that, for Rogers, it’s about “Danny’s ego” – and not, as it should be, about the men and women on the force.
Melvin said one big mistake Rogers made when taking office four years ago was a mass firing of deputies simply because they were close to Barnes. Melvin said that move was about ego and said that Rogers has, for the last four years, used the office to promote himself.
In the past, press releases from the Sheriff’s Department have usually included Roger’s name – but a recent press release from the department that came out near the start of the early voting period mentions Roger’s name not once, not twice, but three times in the first paragraph.
It reads, “Sheriff Danny H. Roger is pleased to announce a well-deserved salary increase for part-time Detention and Deputy Sheriffs. We are pleased to award a 25 percent pay raise, the new pay rate is now $25.00. Sheriff Rogers has worked diligently with the County Manager and agreed to increase the hourly rate. Sheriff Rogers recognizes how important our part-time officers, both sworn and non-sworn, are to the safe and effective operation of the Sheriff’s Office.”
A Barney Fife at best. Use your vote wisely.
That’s an insult to Barney Fife!
Well, how about the same rate of pay for the GPD police officers? All of them, including new hires?
At our rate of attrition in the GPD, it will be everyone for themselves. Anarchy.
You mean that BJ Barnes doesn’t remember how well he paid his top staff and not the others? BJ Barnes let retirees earn more money as part time for BJ Barnes. Tax payers were already paying their pensions and BJ gave them extra part time pay. Fortunately Sheriff Danny Rogers did not continue the BJ Barnes program to pay retirees more than their pensions, or scaled it back to necessary functions.
Well said.
Loved this comment
BJ Barnes is a fat fraud. But the IDIOT he schmoozed up to prior to the primary Melvin how about someone take a look at what he did: joined the “Scared Force” because he was afraid to go boots on the ground offshore. Yeah he’s a real hero, faker and fraud like his fatso friend Barnes. Barnes will eat himself to death enjoying free food at the Olympic in Colfax. Thank God the backstabber GOT CRUSHED in the primary. Two fat political hacks.
BJ should remember what a “showboat” he was as Sheriff and still promoting himself. Sheriff staff should have the recognition for the tough work they do every day. Law enforcement is not getting easier and good to give ALL a pay raise.
I’m sorry, but I’ve had it with this clown Rogers!! I just hope he don’t go back to assaulting females and writing bad checks once he loses this election. Crimes he was charged with prior to taking office! Rogers has been a total embarrassment to our Race!!
Rodgers does not want anyone remembering he is Sheriff right now. High crime, high turnover and constant embarrassment. I heard he has already been fired from at least 1 Law enforcement agency in this county. How did he become sheriff. Let’s get this domestic abuser out of office.
I’ll try to be brief; When Barnes was elected sheriff I saw an uptick in patrols by my house. When the man who is now the sheriff took over they dropped to a trickle. Now since it’s election time again they have picked up riding through the neighborhood.
barnes used county $ money to promote himself constantly. melvin can keep bootlicking but will be last on that maga ticket. dumb danny is an empty suit. VOTE TJ PHIPPS!!!
Ed Melvin isn’t any better. He used to own a trucking company. Systems logistics it was called and would fire lf they were pulled by troopers causing him to pay fines cause his trucks weren’t safe or capable of passing inspections. So for Ed Melvin to critique any ody for being any kind of a way is fraud by itself
I just KNOOOOOOOOOOOW BJ isn’t slinging insults. This guy was THE worst! How can you pay your retired croonies more than the ones out there working hard putting their lives on the line?
I’m glad Rogers cleaned house when he got in there. He took out the rest of the trash that BJ left up in there. Good job Rogers!
This guy Melvin has a damn nerve talking about egos. It’s primary night and from what I’m seeing so far Melvin will be lucky if he gets a 1000 votes total.
Talk about humiliation…!!!
Let “The Real” Police handle the Law Enforcement – and you handle the weeds in the park.
Well as biased as Rhino Times is – At least they got this right:
“The best of these three is Phil Byrd because of his experience in the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department. As a captain under former Sheriff BJ Barnes, Byrd had extensive experience in the many different divisions of the Sheriff’s Department, which entails a lot more than simply investigating crimes.”