Chad E. Hawkins

Party:

Republican

Incumbent:

Yes

Age:

Approximately 50

Previous experience in elected office:

Gaston County Sheriff since 2022; formerly on Lowell City Council for 12 years

Occupation:

Gaston County Sheriff

Description:

When he was elected sheriff in 2022, he became the county's first Republican sheriff in over 40 years. Hawkins has online posts defending the law enforcement experience of key members of his staff as well as his department's spending levels. He has accused his opponent, Robbie Waldrop, of lying about his record after Waldrop said in a Republican Party debate that Hawkins commingled sheriff’s office funds and campaign funds. “I’ve made it a priority to lead with transparency, serve with dedication, uphold the rule of law, and back our deputies every single day,” Hawkins said on his Facebook page. He says he has proven leadership and experience and that the sheriff’s office received an award for cooperating with federal authorities, “which means when an illegal alien is in the Gaston County Jail, we notify ICE.” Hawkins recently filed a defamation lawsuit against his opponent.

Other personal:

Hawkins has 31 years of law enforcement experience and was a former police chief in Belmont and Cherryville. He is endorsed by Board of Commissioners candidate Dennis Stines. Hawkins has an associate's degree from Gaston College, a bachelor's from Gardner-Webb and a master's in justice administration from Methodist University. He says he “had a rough upbringing that helped me see people and situations from a different perspective” and had to quit school as a teenager to work in a cotton mill in McAdenville to help his family.

Candidate Website

Questionnaire from the Gaston Business Association

Please provide a short introduction (50 words or less) highlighting your background and achievements.

I have served the citizens of Gaston county for over thirty four years. Thirty one of those years I have served in law enforcement. 10 years as an officer, 8 years as a sergeant, 10 years as a chief of police, and Sheriff for 3 years.

What motivated you to seek this office, and what specific skills, experiences, or perspectives uniquely prepare you to serve effectively in this role?

I have worked in public safety since the age of sixteen. I started as a volunteer fire fighter and then began my law enforcement career.

When I began my law enforcement career I had a focus on one day becoming the Sheriff of Gaston county. I was born and raised in Gaston County. I have a servants heart and believe as the Sheriff I have an opportunity to utilize the experiences I have gained to make a positive impact throughout our.

I have served in many leadership roles throughout Gaston County. I believe my leadership experience as sergeant for eight years with Gastonia Police department, ten years as Chief of Police at Cherryville, and Belmont, three years as Gaston County Sheriff, and twelve years as a Lowell City Council Member proves I have the experience to continue serving as Sheriff.

From your perspective, what are the top issues impacting Gaston County’s business climate and economic competitiveness? If elected, what specific actions would you support or pursue to strengthen our local economy?

Gaston County faces serious mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness issues. Those are three of the main issues I see that have a direct impact on our business climate.

In order for our businesses to be successful, we need solid employees. Our employees are our number one asset.

Substance abuse issues, often leads to mental health issues that have a direct impact on employment, and job performance.

Homelessness negatively affects businesses in many ways. If an individual is homeless they are less likely to maintain employment. Another serious issue with homelessness are factors such as public health, and safety and sanitation risk to the general public. Having homeless individuals around businesses can deter customers, or clients from patronizing the business.

I have worked with local, state, and federal partners to address the drug issues in our county. In 2023, I implemented a Jail Investigation Unit to address the drugs in our county. Since the units inception they have seized over three million dollars in drugs and contraband, and secured over two hundred and fifty felony charges. We work to get to the source where the drugs are being distributed for long term solutions.

My team has worked to ensure our staff receives training in crisis intervention to better serve our population suffering from mental illness. They receive crisis Intervention training that not only helps them better understand the individual, but they also are equipped with resources to get the individuals assistance.

Substance abuse and mental health have been my top priorities in order to reduce homelessness.

Given the office you are seeking (U.S. House, N.C. House, Sheriff, Commissioner, or School Board), what do you believe is the most pressing issue within the scope of that role, and how would you address it?

On a daily basis I am responsible for over three hundred employees, maintaining a jail facility with nearly seven hundred inmates, the safety and security of the courthouse, and all of the civil processes for the county.

Recruitment and retention of jail staff is a constant struggle due to the stressful and demanding task of supervising the number of inmates we have with limited staffing.

I have worked to put processes in place to help with the stress and mental health issues caused by working in a jail facility.

We have provided a lot of training to reduce assaults on our staff, and to reduce use of force incidents. We also implemented a peer support team for our staff to deal with work related and personal issues affecting their mental health.

Effective leadership requires collaboration across sectors. How would you work with local businesses, municipal leaders, and community organizations to advance shared goals?

The Gaston County Sheriff's office works closely with other agencies and municipal leaders throughout the county to ensure we are providing quality law enforcement to our businesses and residents. Our deputies assist other agencies with calls for service, events, and other functions requiring more resources than they have available.

I have established a great working relationship with community leaders and business owners throughout the years. Having the opportunity to serve many of our municipalities that make up Gaston County, and knowing their needs makes working together a lot smoother.

My staff and I are constantly supporting non-profits, businesses, and communities to accomplish their mission.