The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics and Vice Division is a specialized unit of the Department. The Division investigates violations of the North Carolina Controlled Substance Act  and vice crimes. The unit works closely with its counterparts in Municipalities within Catawba County and surrounding Counties, as well as State and Federal Agencies.  Investigators use covert investigations, surveillance operations and information gathering

The unit consists of Deputies appointed by the Sheriff.  The Division consists  of four officers and one secretary. Narcotic Investigators are cross sworn with the Federal Bureau of Investigations.

CURRENT NEWS - Video Gaming Machines

A new law was signed by Governor Hunt August 2, 2000, outlawing Video gaming (poker) machines form North Carolina, except the machines already in North Carolina, legally.

The new law states that all video gaming machines in North Carolina must be registered with the Sheriff’s Office by October 1, 2000.  To be legal they must have been in lawful operation an available for play in North Carolina on or before June 30, 2000, and were listed in North Carolina by January 31, 2000 for ad valorem property taxes for the 2001- 2001 tax year.

The General Assembly of North Carolina in the 2005 Session passed Senate Law 2006-6 and Senate Bill 912 regarding Video Gaming Machines.  This was “AN ACT TO PHASE OUT THE POSSESSON OR OPERATION OF VIDEO GAMING MACHINES BY LIMITING THE NUMBR OF GAMING MACHINES THAT MAY BE POSSESSED OR OPERATED TO TWO PER LOCATION ON OCTOBER 1, 2006, AND TO ONE PER LOCATION ON mARCH 1, 2007, AND TO PROHIBIT POSSESSION OR OPERATION OF VIDEO GAMING MACHINES AS OF JULY, 1, 2007, EXCEPT PURSUANT TO TRIBAL-COMPACT.  

Effective October 1, 2006 no more than two registered Video Gaming Machines may be at any one location.

Effective March 1, 2007 no more than one register Video Gaming Machine may be at any one location.

Effective July 1, 2007 no Machines UNLESS the machines fit a statutory exception.