WILMINGTON, N.C. — When someone calls local 911 and can’t speak English, help is literally one button away.

Nestled in the corner of dispatchers’ screens, among buttons that say EMS, Fire, School and Law, is one that says “Language.” All the dispatcher needs to do when someone who doesn’t speak English calls is click that button and a translator is on the other end of the line because of a service called LanguageLine.

Used in Brunswick and New Hanover counties, LanguageLine connects a dispatcher with someone who, if necessary, can determine what language is being spoken and from there transfer the call to a translator.

Deborah Cottle, New Hanover County’s 911 manager, said the county uses the service nearly every day.

“It is very easy,” Cottle said.

The service is overwhelmingly used for Spanish callers in both counties, officials said.

In September, for instance, New Hanover used the service 54 times for Spanish speakers. Other languages included one call each of French, Japanese and Korean. That kind of breakdown is typical for the last year, according to data provided by New Hanover County Emergency Management, with non-Spanish languages rarely having more than one call in a month.

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On Sept. 24, Anson County Jail Administrator Capt. Freddie Paxton was recognized and awarded the Jail Administrator of the Year for 2014 by the North Carolina Jail Administrators’ Association.

The presentation was made at their annual training conference in Greensboro. The Jail Administrators’ Association is made up of the 100-plus county jail administrators and senior jail staff across North Carolina. The association recognizes one of their own each year who has been nominated by their jail staff and recommended by their sheriff for “meritorious service and major accomplishments that enhances the overall operations of their county facility.”

Anson County Sheriff Tommy Allen, who attended the evening ceremony, said that he was most pleased with Paxton’s recognition by his peers.

“Capt. Paxton has been my jail administrator since 2006,” Allen said. “He has improved every aspect of our jail operations and continues to meet all local, state and federal standards for a facility this age and size. He has implemented all new policy and procedures in the jail; overseen a complete renovation of the main control room and holding cell area; updated medical and sick call procedures; implemented a “cashless” bookkeeping system; set up a new food service contractor and upgraded the jail’s computer and security camera systems. Those are all complicated tasks. The county could not ask for a more loyal, dedicated, hard-working and well informed employee. I’m fortunate to have someone of his caliber.”

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RALEIGH, N.C. — The arrival of the fall season not only means dropping temperatures and leaves, but also an increase in the chances of a collision with a deer across North Carolina. Between 2011 and 2013, nearly half of the more than 61,000 animal-related crashes took place in October through December.  About 90 percent of those involved deer.

A N.C. Department of Transportation study shows that in 2013, there were 20,308 animal-related crashes, a slight increase over the 2012 figure, but still well below the numbers reported in 2010 and 2011.

Over the past three years, animal-related crashes claimed 18 lives, injured more than 3,400 drivers and passengers, and caused more than $149 million in damages.

“Drivers need to be careful on the roads all the time, but even more so over the next few months,” said NCDOT Director of Mobility and Safety Kevin Lacy.  “Increased deer activity and decreasing daylight hours mean vigilance by motorists needs to increase for their own safety and the safety of others.”

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RALEIGH, N.C. — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Home From The Hunt™ safety campaign is reminding hunters to follow blaze orange requirements and making safety recommendations to others who spend time outdoors.

In North Carolina, hunters are required to wear a cap, hat or an outer garment in blaze orange that is visible from all sides when hunting bear, feral hogs, deer, rabbit, squirrel, grouse, pheasant or quail with a firearm. Anyone hunting deer during a deer firearms season, regardless of method, must wear blaze orange. Hunters also are required to wear blaze orange while hunting with a bow on Sunday during the black powder and gun seasons.

“Wearing blaze orange is an easy and effective step for safety,” said Travis Casper, the state Hunter Education Program coordinator. “Blaze orange, also known as hunter orange, isn’t a color found in nature, making it instantly recognizable as a human presence. It is instantly recognizable and signals caution to the viewer. Going a step farther, in low-light conditions hunters should consider using a flashlight when changing locations.”

The Home From The Hunt™ campaign recommends everyone wear blaze orange when outdoors in areas shared with hunters. Blaze orange clothing stands out against an outdoor background and studies have proven it increases visibility of the wearer in low-light situations. Blaze orange also can be helpful in locating someone lost or injured.

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Raleigh, N.C. — The State Bureau of Investigation released its annual report Wednesday that shows overall crime in North Carolina decreased in 2013 by 7 percent from the previous year.

The drop continues a six-year downward trend and marks the state’s lowest crime rate since 1974.

The 2013 Uniform Crime Report, which is based on information compiled from law enforcement agencies across the state, also shows the state’s violent crime rate fell by 5.4 percent in 2013. Rape decreased by 10.2 percent; robbery dropped by 1.9 percent; homicide dropped by 3.8 percent; and aggravated assault went down 6.4 percent.

The state’s overall crime rate is down 24.4 percent compared with a decade ago, while violent crime is down 26.3 percent, according to the report.

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RALEIGH – The State Bureau of Investigation reported that nearly 7.4 million doses of expired or unused medicine pills were collected across the state during Operation Medicine Drop Sept. 27.

The pills and medications are being destroyed at an Environmental Protection Agency-approved incinerator.

“This effort to properly dispose of old prescriptions prevents drug abuse, keeps harmful drugs out of the reach of children and stops dangerous chemicals from ending up in the water supply,” SBI Director B.W. Collier said. “This coordinated effort is the safest way to get rid of unneeded medicines.”

The State Bureau of Investigation co-sponsored the pill take-back event along with Safe Kids North Carolina, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and state and local law enforcement agencies.

In addition to providing drop-off locations at its eight troop locations, the State Highway Patrol provided vehicles to transport the medication.  The DEA paid to have the medications destroyed.

This year, Cary Police Department lead the state with approximately 947,000 dosage units collected, topping Durham’s collection last year of 773,500 dosage units.

Medications are the leading cause of child poisoning, according to Safe Kids, a non-profit organization that helps parents and caregivers prevent childhood injuries. Environmental experts say that flushing medicines down the toilet contaminates water supplies and hurts aquatic life.

According to DEA, medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to misuse and abuse, and a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet.

“The SBI will sponsor additional pill-drop operations throughout the year,” said SBI Special Agent in Charge Donnie Varnell of the Diversion and Environmental Crime Unit. “Prescription narcotics are the leading cause of drug overdose in the country, and we encourage others to dispose of medications responsibly through these periodic pill disposal programs.”

RALEIGH — Officer Allen Grant Day of the Yadkin County Sheriff’s Office was awarded the Advanced Deputy Professional Law Enforcement Certificate by the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission on Sept. 5.

The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Education and Training Standards Commission was established in September 1983. The purpose of the commission is to upgrade the capabilities, competence and proficiency of sheriffs’ departmental personnel through programs, standards and procedures involving employment, improvement, career development and retention of the sheriffs’ office personnel.

The commission maintains certification files for more than 25,000 deputy sheriffs, detention officers and telecommunicators.

The purpose of the Advanced Deputy Professional Law Enforcement Certificate is to recognize the level of competence of sheriffs and deputy sheriffs serving North Carolina sheriffs’ offices, to foster increased interest in college education and professional law enforcement training and to attract highly qualified individuals into a law enforcement career.

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GREENVILLE, PITT COUNTY –  The Pitt County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a grant by the U.S. Department of Justice to aid law enforcement officers in fighting domestic violence.

The nearly half a million dollar grant makes Domestic Violence Homicide Prevention Initiative site, which means the office, in partnership with Greenville Police Department, the Center for Family Violence and UNC-Chapel Hill, will train officers to better evaluate the lethality of domestic violence.

“This will multiply the number of specialists that we as a community have in the field to assist victims of domestic violence thus saving lives,” said Sergeant John Guard wit the PCSO.

Domestic violence victim turned advocate Christy Adams was in attendance. She lost her son when her estranged husband shot him to death then turned the gun on himself.

“It’s wonderful to know that everyone here is working together to stop it to prevent more families from losing family members,” said Adams.

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The 2015 Sheriff’s Citizens Academy is now taking applications for classes beginning Jan. 27, Sheriff Charles McDonald announced Tuesday. The purpose of the academy is to provide information to the public on the duties, requirements and responsibilities of the office of sheriff in Henderson County.

There are 13 classes scheduled, all of which are on Tuesday and start promptly at 6 p.m., ending at 9 p.m. All classes are held in the Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Center training room. Class size is limited to 40 students, and classes will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.

Topics include K-9 and animal enforcement, bomb squad and SWAT teams, communications, patrol, detention, civil process service, gang and drug prevention programs and emergency preparedness. The class fee is $30, which includes a binder, handouts, graduation meal and class recognitions at the final session.

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Durham, N.C. — The Durham County Sheriff’s Office installed dashboard and backseat cameras in 31 of its 40 patrol vehicles.

Deputies will also be outfitted with microphones that can capture audio while away from the vehicle.

The cameras are activated when the vehicle’s emergency lights are activated, when the vehicle goes over 85 mph or is involved in a wreck. Deputies can also record manually through the camera or microphone.

Video from the cameras are wirelessly downloaded to a secure server and kept for 30 days unless used in a criminal case.

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