February 12, 2018 – Sheriff Neil Godfrey filed today for re-election to the office of Sheriff of Moore County. Sheriff Godfrey has 44 years of law enforcement investigative, leadership and management experience and has served the citizens of Moore County as their Sheriff since May 1, 2013.
Sheriff Godfrey’s vision is to continue to lead an effective, efficient and service-oriented sheriff’s office. Experience has shown him that communities are always safer when law enforcement officers work closely with the people they are responsible for protecting to solve and prevent crime.
Under his leadership and community engagement programs, crime in Moore County has been reduced by 26.7 percent. Sheriff Godfrey will continue to build upon the improvements he has made at the Sheriff’s Office, Detention Center and Animal Services.
The Sheriff’s Office is on schedule to be accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (the Gold Standard in Law Enforcement) in the Spring of 2019. Sheriff Godfrey believes that accreditation by CALEA is one way for the men and women who work at the Sheriff’s Office to be honored for the outstanding job they are doing serving the citizens of Moore County.
Sheriff Godfrey grew up on a farm in Sanford, North Carolina. As the result of his upbringing, he understands the meaning of diligence and hard work. He played high school football on two championship teams and attended Wake Forest University on a football scholarship. After graduating from Wake Forest University in May of 1973, he began his law enforcement career as a Special Agent with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation. He was stationed in Wilmington where he met his wife, Linda. He transferred to Moore County in 1988 where he worked until he retired as the Special Agent in Charge of the SBI Southeastern District in May of 2002. He has significant experience in leading and conducting major criminal and drug investigations.
Sheriff Godfrey served as the Moore County’s Chief Deputy with Retired Sheriff Lane Carter from December of 2002 until he was unanimously appointed Sheriff in 2013 by the Moore County Republican Party Executive Committee and the Moore County Board of Commissioners. He was elected Sheriff in 2014 receiving almost 80 percent of the vote total.
Sheriff Godfrey has approximately 2800 hours of law enforcement investigative, leadership and management training. He has been awarded the Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate and the Order of the Long Leaf Pine.
- Graduate of Wake Forest University
- Graduate of North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation Academy
- Graduate of the National Training Center for Polygraph Science
- Graduate of the North Carolina State University Law Enforcement Executive Program
- Certified Public Manager
- Graduate of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Leadership Institute
- He has extensive training and experience in the investigation of homicides, rapes, arsons, robberies, drug trafficking, hostage negotiations, financial crimes, officer involve shootings and dignitary protection.
Sheriff Godfrey and his wife, Linda, live in Whispering Pines. They have been married 40 years and are expecting their first grand-child this May. They are members of the First Baptist Church in Southern Pines.
Sheriff Godfrey is a member of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association where he serves on the Legislative Committee and the Training Committee. He is a member of the Sandhills Rotary Club and is supportive of the Boys and Girls Club, Habitat for Humanity, Keep Moore County Beautiful, Drug Free Moore County and Friend to Friend. He is a member of the Moore County Republican Men’s Club, the Moore County Republican Women’s Club and the Moore County Law Enforcement Officers’ Association.
