Rockingham County deputies will soon have an armored rescue vehicle available for high-risk calls and emergency response. The sheriff's office acquired the vehicle through a donation coordinated with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety's Law Enforcement Support Services and the Duplin County Sheriff's Office.
The agency said the vehicle is intended to enhance deputy safety, strengthen high-risk operations and support emergency and disaster response, pointing to recent violence involving law enforcement in the county. In October 2025 Rockingham County deputies were involved in a shooting incident, and this October a State Bureau of Investigation agent was shot while assisting with a high-risk apprehension in the county. The vehicle is also expected to be used during hurricanes and flooding, when responders may need to reach dangerous or devastated areas.
Surrounding agencies already have similar equipment, and the sheriff's office said having one based in Rockingham County will reduce delays that come with requesting specialized resources during critical incidents. Policies governing use and deployment will be established, and personnel assigned to operate it will receive training; the agency said former military personnel with the sheriff's office and its Special Response Team are already trained on the vehicle. The sheriff's office thanked the Duplin County Sheriff's Office, County Manager Lance Metzler and the state's Law Enforcement Support Services for helping make the acquisition possible.
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Source note: Star News TV · Oct 29, 2026 8:21 PM.
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