In October of 2015, Sheriff Eddie Cathey authorized the formation of the Sheriff’s
Alcohol Field Enforcement (SAFE) Unit. This unit consists of four UCSO deputies and a
supervisor dedicated to traffic enforcement focusing primarily on impaired driving
prevention and apprehension. The SAFE Unit was initially funded by a grant awarded by
the NC Governor’s Highway Safety Program. The grant funding expired at the
conclusion of the fifth year but the unit has continued to operate as an elite traffic
enforcement team serving the residents of Union County each day.

Since the formation of the SAFE Unit, UCSO deputies assigned to this elite team have
arrested approximately 1,910 impaired drivers. While 1,910 arrests marks the number of
impaired drivers taken off of local roadways, the number of lives saved by this dedicated
enforcement team and their actions is immeasurable. In addition to the apprehension
efforts of the UCSO’s SAFE unit, they also focus on educating local residents on the
dangers of impaired driving by participating in local community events and by visiting
local schools.

Over the years, the UCSO SAFE unit has become increasingly efficient in their ability to
successfully win criminal convictions in our local courts through advanced training and
standardized testing. One of the more advanced roles on the SAFE unit is the role of the
certified Drug Recognition Experts (DRE’s). Not all impaired drivers are impaired due to
alcohol and many are found to be impaired due to the consumption of various narcotics.
The role of the DRE is critical in identifying signs of impairment in cases where drivers
are impaired due to narcotics. The UCSO SAFE unit has also instituted a “no refusal”
policy for impaired driving investigations. If a person arrested for Driving While
Impaired refuses to provide a breath sample for testing at the Union County Jail, the
SAFE unit deputy applies for a search warrant to collect a blood sample for alcohol
and/or narcotics testing. This “no refusal” policy exists to ensure that deputies assigned to
the SAFE unit collect as much evidence as possible to hold impaired drivers accountable
for putting other motorists lives at risk.

Currently, the blood samples collected in DWI cases are sent to the NC State Crime Lab
for testing. This process takes several months and prolongs the time a DWI case takes to
reach a disposition in our local courts. In the near future, the UCSO will be keeping DWI
blood kit testing in house and will be testing these samples in the new UCSO Crime
Laboratory. Keeping this testing local will help to ensure accurate, expedited results that
will be utilized as evidence in local DWI cases. The UCSO Crime Laboratory is the first
of its kind in our area and will continue to develop and expand thanks to the support of
our residents, county management team, and our County Commissioners.

Since the formation of the SAFE unit in 2015, numerous awards and commendations
have been presented to the UCSO in recognition of the lifesaving efforts of these
deputies. Recently, at an awards banquet hosted by the Mothers Against Drunk Driving
(MADD) organization, Deputy Jay Murray was recognized as the DRE of the Year for
2020 after completing 50 DRE evaluations. Deputy Murray also received an award for
the third highest amount of DRE evaluations in NC for 2021 after completing 24
evaluations. A list of awards received by SAFE unit members throughout the years is
highlighted below.

Sheriff Eddie Cathey adds “I am proud of the work these officers do every day to keep
our roadways safe. Impaired drivers put everyone’s life at risk including their own when
they make the decision to get behind the wheel. I will continue to support the SAFE unit
as they dedicate themselves to ensuring the safety of Union County’s residents and guests
on our roadways.”

SAFE Unit Awards
2015 SAFE KIDS Child Passenger Safety Advocate of the Year Sergeant Jonathan
Philemon
2017 MADD Top Enforcer of the Year Award Deputy Chris Horne
2017 MADD Deputy Sheriff of the Year Deputy Chris Horne
2018 Governors Highway Safety Program Deputy Sheriff of the Year Sergeant Jeff
Weatherman
2018 MADD Top Enforcer of the Year Award Deputy Chris Horne
2019 MADD Hero Award Sergeant Jonathan Philemon
2019 MADD DWI Task Force of the Year
2019 Governors Highway Safety Program County Coordinator of the Year Sergeant
Jonathan Philemon
2020 MADD DRE of the Year Recognition #1 in the State Deputy Jay Murray
2020 Forensic Test for Alcohol Branch Top Sheriff's Deputy Deputy Jay Murray
2020 Forensic Test for Alcohol Branch DRE of the Year Deputy Jay Murray
2021 MADD DRE Recognition #3 in the State Deputy Jay Murray
2021 Forensic Test for Alcohol Branch Top Sheriff's Deputy Deputy Jay Murray

Point of contact for this press release is Lt. James Maye, (704)506-6843