N.C. candidates: Drug approach must change

Doug Doughtie and Ryan White are vying for the Republican nomination for Dare County, N.C., sheriff from different backgrounds: Doughtie, a police officer, has had 27 years in law enforcement, and White is a Hatteras Island businessman with a minor criminal record and pending drug charges. Both say they have valuable insights to offer.

The winner of the May 4 Republican primary will face Dare County Sheriff Rodney Midgett, a Democrat, in November's general election.

Both challengers agree that enforcement of drug laws in the county has to change.

Doughtie, a part-time police officer in Duck, said drug use in the county affects everybody somehow, and a different way has to be found "to attack it."

"Nobody is exempt," he said. "Actually, the devil is what it is."

He said the solution is not to lock everybody up; youths, especially, need to be steered into programs that channel them away from wanting to use drugs.

White, owner of a tackle shop in Rodanthe, said he believes too much emphasis is put on chasing minor drug offenders and not enough on preventing legitimate problems such as break-ins and illegal immigrants.

Marijuana and cocaine possession charges against White are pending in Dare and Currituck courts, respectively. White said he stopped using drugs when he decided to run for sheriff.

In October 2008, White was charged with felony possession of cocaine and misdemeanor possession of marijuana. In January 2010, he was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and reckless driving, all misdemeanors.

The Dare case is scheduled to be heard on May 6, and the Currituck case has not been rescheduled after being continued at an April court date.

White said he objects to minor traffic stops routinely using drug dogs and turning into intrusive, often pointless police searches of the vehicle and the occupants.

"There's a lot more things that's a lot more important than running a police state, which is what I think it's like in Dare County," he said. "It doesn't help the families any when they're sitting in jail in an orange jumpsuit."

Police should work with bar owners to proactively prevent drunken driving, he said, rather than reactively addressing the problem after someone is hurt. He also said he regards most drug cases as victimless crimes.

"I do feel like it's people's own business what they put in their bodies," he said.

White said that an accident in 2004 in which he struck and killed two people skateboarding at night was not his fault, and he was not driving under the influence. He said he accepted a plea bargain of reckless driving and served six months' probation.

Doughtie said more police are needed in the community so that residents gain trust in police and have a better rapport with them.

A deputy in the Dare County Sheriff's Office for 17 years before retiring in 2006, he said being the sheriff "is something I always wanted to do."

If he is elected, he said he'll be accessible, he'll be seen and he'll work to develop better relationships with citizens.

"When these people start opening up, they're going to start telling what the problems are in their neighborhood," Doughtie said. "With that presence, I think we'll make a big difference."

White said his main impetus in running is to stand up to what he believes is the "old thinking" in the sheriff's office that has inspired no new ideas to confront problems in the county.

"What do they expect to gain there, except more of the same?" he said. "Nobody seems to have the stones to stand up and say, 'Hey, I've had enough!' "

Catherine Kozak, (252) 441-1711, cate.kozak@pilotonline.com