Buncombe County Sheriff Quentin Miller and his Republican challenger Gary Parris discussed deputy staffing, jail overcrowding, and mental health care Friday at a candidate forum inside UNC Asheville's Sherrill Center. Parris argued the sheriff's office needed more deputies. A spokesperson said the office had 80 vacancies across a broader mix of positions than sworn deputies.
The forum, hosted by the Council of Independent Business Owners, gave the two men a chance to air competing visions for the department just weeks before the November election. As reported by the Charlotte Observer, Parris argued the county needs to redirect money toward hiring more deputies rather than other priorities, telling the crowd, “We got to invest in our deputies and their families.” Miller, for his part, pointed to a difficult hiring environment, noting that detention officers often face the added strain of working with people experiencing mental illness, and he said he has already pushed to raise deputy pay during his tenure.
Mental Health Care Behind Bars
Much of the debate centered on the roughly 200 people Miller says are currently held in his jail with mental health issues who are not getting the care they need, according to the same Charlotte Observer report. Miller described a “smart on crime” approach that emphasizes solutions aimed at keeping people from cycling back into custody, and he said a dedicated mental health facility would “meet people where they are.”
Both candidates expressed openness to transforming the recently shuttered Craggy Correctional Center into that kind of facility. Buncombe County has already discussed the possibility of converting the former state prison for mental health use, the Observer reported, and Parris said the 287-acre property “would be a great property for mental-health use if the county chooses that option,” adding, “I'll be glad to help in any way I can.”
Craggy closed over the summer amid severe staffing problems, a shutdown Hoodline previously reported was tied to steep regional housing costs that made it difficult for the state to retain correctional officers. State starting pay for correctional officers at Craggy sat at just $38,859, a gap of more than $22,000 compared with local detention officer salaries at the Buncombe County Detention Center, according to the State Employees Association of North Carolina. That pay disparity left Craggy able to hire only three new correctional officers over two years while operating at less than half capacity before it shut down.
Buncombe County commissioners had been in preliminary talks with the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction as early as June about whether the county could acquire the closing Craggy property to ease overcrowding at its own detention facility, according to WLOS ABC 13. County management had not received any formal acquisition directive at that point, though commissioners acknowledged a legal duty to address jail crowding. The neighboring town of Woodfin isn't waiting on the sidelines either — its town council formed an ad hoc committee in August to push for a say in how the 287-acre site at 22 Canoe Lane gets redeveloped, whether for housing, conservation, or other infrastructure, per Mountain Xpress.
Homelessness and the Limits of the Badge
Parris also argued that people are sent to Asheville from other areas for addiction treatment, and said sheriffs should work to determine where people receiving treatment came from so they can be connected to care. Miller countered that homelessness in Asheville falls outside his office's jurisdiction, saying homelessness is complex and that no single agency can tackle it alone. He called for closer collaboration with the city to address the issue, while Parris separately argued there is no accountability in Buncombe County.
Iryna's Law and Jail Overcrowding
The candidates also split over Iryna's Law. Parris supports the law, saying it keeps people who commit serious crimes off the streets. Miller said it has contributed to jail overcrowding.
Immigration Policy
Immigration policy was another topic at the forum.
Staffing
Staffing was among the issues discussed at the forum.
Miller, a Democrat, is the incumbent. Parris, a Republican, is his challenger.
