Former Guilford County Sheriff’s Department Chief Deputy Edward Melvin, who became an integral part of the Sheriff’s Department after current Sheriff Danny Rogers won that job in the 2018 election, is now going to do his best to unseat Rogers in 2022 and lead that large department for the next four years.
Melvin said this week that he intends to file to run for the county’s top law enforcement job when the filing period opens next week.
The former chief deputy said that, when Rogers first won the job in 2018, he really wanted Rogers to succeed – and wanted to do all he could to help. Melvin said that, early on, however, he saw Rogers make decisions that, Melvin said, were extremely harmful to the department.
He said he stepped down from the chief deputy job in 2019 because he didn’t want to play any role in the department’s downfall.
“I was really hoping he would be a Cinderella story,” he said of Rogers, adding that those hopes were quickly dashed.
Melvin said that he was totally opposed to the mass firings Rogers conducted in late 2018. Soon after Rogers was elected, he ousted more than 25 deputies and other employees with little to no explanation.
According to Melvin, it was unconscionable for Rogers to fire long-time, hard-working dedicated employees simply because Rogers worried they were loyal to former Sheriff BJ Barnes.
“There was absolutely no reason for that,” Melvin said of the mass firing. He added, “These people have families. If I’m elected, I’m not going to fire anyone. There’s only one person who’ll have to go – Danny Rogers.”
According to Melvin, many people he talks to are surprised that he’s running for sheriff on the Republican side of the ticket. He said he was speaking with another Republican candidate who just assumed he, Melvin, would be running as a Democrat. But Melvin, who says he voted for Donald Trump in the last two elections, sounds very much like a Republican.
Melvin said one reason it’s the right time to run now is that he is a huge opponent of Critical Race Theory. He said in some parts of the country there’s been an effort to investigate parents who complain about that subject being taught in schools.
“If I am the sheriff, I will not ever weaponize the department against parents who just want to express their views, which is their right as an American.”
He said that it’s absurd to suggest that one race should “take a back seat” to another race. He said everyone should be treated equally and, if elected, that’s exactly how he would treat everyone in the department and in the county.
Melvin shares another view popular with conservatives.
“I am so against Black Lives Matter,” he said. “I don’t support any group that believes in defunding the police. Any group that believes in burning down buildings, looting and rioting.”
The sheriff’s candidate-to-be also noted that, the more he worked under Rogers and talked to the officers, he became much more respectful of the job Barnes did in the office. For instance, he said, one woman of color that Barnes fired created an uproar among some in the local African-American community, but Rogers said that, when he joined the department and started looking into the situation, it became clear that Barnes was perfectly justified in firing the woman. He said the woman’s actions left Barnes no choice.
During his two and half decades as sheriff, Barnes’ critics often accused him of practicing racially biased promotion, however, Melvin said that what he discovered after taking his job as chief deputy is that the claim against Barnes didn’t hold water.
The fact that Melvin is getting into the race should come as no surprise to Rogers. When Melvin left the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department in 2019, he handed Rogers a letter several pages long that, among other things, told Rogers that he, Melvin, would be running in 2022.
Born in South Carolina in 1960, Melvin is a former NC Highway Patrol officer who now lives in Summerfield and runs a highway maintenance company that does work for the State of North Carolina.
Melvin joined the Highway Patrol in 1989 and worked out of Vance County before moving to Guilford County. He served for seven years as a military police officer in the Air Force before joining the Highway Patrol.
Count me in!
People voted Rogers in for one reason. A single shot reason. Greensboro got what it deserved. Never, ever, overestimate the intelligence of the average American voter.
What is that reason? Like the other side doesn’t do the same? Are you saying one race only votes because of race. However, when the other race vote for their same kind, it isn’t!
dbarnes@northstate.net
Mr. Melvin will get my vote for sure!
Can’t disagree with a single thing Ed Melvin said, in fact the day he left the sheriff’s office he called and apologized that he believed the lies that were told to him by the Rogers campaign. He said he had been told the sheriffs office was a mess and he found it was anything but. I thanked him for his apology and wished him luck. Folks I’m afraid the sheriffs office is now a mess. Not because of the majority of the men and woman there, but because of the present leadership. Next year you will have the opportunity to fix that problem. There will be plenty of good candidates who are willing to fix the problem. Pick one and give them the chance. Guilford County and the good men and women at the sheriffs office deserve better. Let’s make it happen.
BJ,
I found a copy of “Sunrise at Sunset” on line. Before I start it, is it any good? If not, I will give it to Skip-the-Hyp.
Melvin is a good man! He will have my full support. I hope everyone will do their homework and back Edward Melvin for Sheriff.
He don’t know jack about running a Sheriff’s Office, just like that former ATF guy who says he’ll run … Billy Queen I think. There’s a lot to it they’ll not know, such as Court security, running a jail, civil process and the list goes on and on. I imagine Sheriff Rogers felt like he was in over his head when he got the jig, but he’s held it together thus far. The best guy for the job appears to be Randy Powers since he has been there and done that.
So jack im told you don’t know jack either
Apparently you don’t know Randy Powers.
He couldn’t find his way out of a wet paper bag without Barnes.
Doesn’t Danny Rogers have a history…of being on the wrong side of the law?
Yes he does! And a few more things that represents his true character!
When will Guilford County lawful citizens regain their “privilege” to exercise a constitutional right to purchase a handgun at a time and place of their own choosing?
When will the privilege of the same to obtain a constitutional right to “keep and bear” such handguns, concealed if desired, also be provided?
The Clown Sheriff Rogers regime has consistently denied such “privilege” is anywhere close to a constitutional right and continues to this day to delay and deny the issuance of such permits the Sheriff’s office is statutorily required to issue.
Yes the time for change is long past due.
I applied in Person to Renew my Concealed Permit on Oct 8th 2021 its Feb 5 2022 and still nothing.
This is not acceptable and will be remembered on election day. If your short staffed hire someone !!!!!
Anybody but Danny.
Another wannabee DAVID CLARKE NUTJOB!
Melvin when he was Chief Deputy was the “originator” (his idea) and man behind “The hug a thug” program don’t let him fool you he’s real good at masquerading as something he’s not…!!!
As far as what you are saying Sarah – you are 100% correct.
Don’t you think a deep dive into the backgrounds of “ALL” these candidates should be done and made public? Not just the run of the mill Biography and outdated Resume’. Saying you are someone and proving you are that person can and usually are Worlds apart these days. It is critical to our continued safety and security in this County to get the right person elected as Sheriff it is a very important position for all the reasons most everyone knows.
1. What their current job position is now.
2. What qualifies them as a Sheriff candidate? (Law enforcement experience/Educational level)
3. Who they are politically (not who they say they are – who they really are).
4. What qualifies them to run a 7.5 million dollar yearly budget and an administration overseeing day to day citizen public safety as well as the housing of incarcerated inmates, and security of a major City.
5. Do they have criminal backgrounds.
6. How about an audit of their taxes (lots of goofy stuff goes on there).
7. Are they married, divorced, how many times divorced…? (that tells a lot about someones character if they can’t stay married or have had numerous wives)
8. Do they have children.
9. How old are they
10. Religious affiliations
11. Level of education
12. Where do they live
13. Are they financially stable, do they live in their means or above their means (IMPORTANT QUESTION) The elected official should have to pass a rigorous and complete Polygraph exam.
All of these questions should be addressed and a proper vetting done of each of these candidates to assure you are not giving the Wolf the keys to the Hen house.
The Sheriff should be a person of utmost integrity, highest character, financially stable, intelligent, have a command of the English language, living within his or her means, able to write thoroughly, and coherently, talk intelligently and have polished people social skills. I’m sure I’m missing something, but we should not stand for anything less.
Rogers was right is firing Barnes Men! Barnes and his Henchmen did and would have undermind Rogers and sabotage him. Like Barnes wouldn’t have done the same if the tables was turnt!
I worked next door to his company Melvin is a great guy he is legit 1000% honest would be a great for this job
There all a bunch of underwhelming, privileged, arrogant, politicians, which is just another word for FRAUDS.