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Hendersonville Police Department
Public Monthly Report
September 2026
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Chief’s Monthly Summary
This month, we promoted several people within the agency. Their promotions mark a major shift forward for us. Rather than rushing forward and promoting people without running competitive processes, we took a steady and thoughtful approach. Making deliberate decisions, I have found, almost always provides better outcomes.
Succession planning needs constant attention. We can never become complacent in developing staff and preparing them for the next step in their careers. We must always be ready for an unexpected departure for any reason. We know this, but daily duties get most of our attention, and complacency creeps in.
One thing I have especially noticed this year is that people step up and deliver when needed. I imagine some of our six promotees may have felt underprepared when compared to their counterparts. Still, they have all stepped forward and committed themselves to being the best leaders they can be. We are focusing on developing them, giving them guidance that is helpful for new leaders, and giving them time to learn in their new roles. I do not expect any of them to have mastered their new roles at this point. Mistakes are correctable and often the best instructors.
Over the better part of this year, we have been reminded that we need backups at every level within the agency. One person cannot have too much control or access without there being someone else who can immediately step in if/when needed. In addition to promoting team members, we are incorporating more cross training and redundancies for key responsibilities.
Moving forward, we will reinforce the expectation that leaders must train the people below them to do their jobs. We must always be ready for tomorrow. A sudden change should not bring operations to a screeching halt, not even for a brief period. We are committed to staying ready rather than getting ready. Thank you for being you. And, remember, we are One Team, One Goal. We are Mountain Excellence.
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Call Statistics
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% change describes the data compared to the previous month's numbers
Calls For Service
- Calls Answered: 5,307; +1.05%
- Calls Dispatched: 3,087; +1.11%
Traffic Safety
- Traffic Stops: 321 –3%
- Citations Issued: 137 –17.9%
- DWI Arrests: 4 –33%
- Motor Vehicle Crashes: 120 +22.4%
- Injury Crashes: 14 +100%
Top Five Crash Locations
1. Asheville Hwy at Haywood Rd (4)
2. Four Seasons Blvd at Thompson St (3)
3. Four Seasons Blvd at Orrs Camp Rd (3)
4. W Allen St at King St (2)
5. 6th Ave W at N Grove St (2)
Crimes, Reports, and Arrests
- Custodial Arrests: 68, +8%
- Incident Reports: 129, +7%
- Drug Offenses: 19, -37%
- Larcenies: 26, -7%
- Assaults: 21, +91%
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Employee Actions
- A sworn officer was terminated following the report of an off-duty incident at his residence.
- The department promoted the following people to their new respective rank:
- Sergeant Austin Putnam
- Sergeant Elijah Bradley
- Sergeant Landon McCraw
- Lieutenant Jacob Smith
- Lieutenant Kyle Gyurina
- Captain Robert Cantwell
- Detective Joreeca Dinnall completed Child Abuse and Fatality Investigation through Blue Ridge Community College and Fundamentals of CSI at the North Carolina Justice Academy.
- Detective Torbett completed Interview and Interrogation at the North Carolina Justice Academy. This class makes him eligible for the Criminal Investigations Certificate Program (CICP) through the NCJS.
- Sergeant Reynolds and Detective Torbett attended the IRS Criminal Investigation Fraud Task Force meeting in Charlotte.
- A conditional offer of employment was made and accepted by Haiden Galloway as a Police Telecommunicator 1.
- A telecommunicator resigned to accept a position with another agency in Catawba County.
- Chief Myhand spent two days in Washington, DC on Capitol Hill speaking to congressional and senate leadership about Automated License Plate Readers (ALPRs). This was an effort led by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) to inform public policy concerning the use of ALPR technology for law enforcement.
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Complaints and Findings
- A complaint was made against an officer alleging the officer was rude to a citizen while the officer was directing traffic. The complaint is under review.
Vehicle Pursuits and Findings
Use of Reasonable Force (UORF) Incidents and Findings
- Officers responded to a call regarding an intoxicated male threatening Public Works employees during Apple Festival. The subject resisted officers resulting in the use of soft hand techniques being used to handcuff the subject. This use of force was reviewed and found to have been reasonable, necessary, and lawful. There were no injuries to officers or the suspect.
- Officers conducted a high-risk traffic stop on a stolen vehicle. One officer pointed their firearm at one of the suspects until it could be determined that the suspect was not armed. Both suspects were taken into custody without incident. There were no injuries to officers or suspects. This use of force was reviewed and found to have been reasonable, necessary, and lawful.
- A person refused to get out of a car when ordered to do so by an officer for having outstanding warrants. Officers forcibly pulled the suspect from the vehicle using soft hand techniques. There were no injuries to officers or the suspect. This use of force was reviewed and found to have been reasonable, necessary, and lawful.
- Officers used soft hand techniques to restrain a person who tried to escape involuntary commitment at the hospital. There were no injuries to the individual. One officer was kicked and punched several times but suffered only superficial injuries. This use of force was reviewed and found to have been reasonable, necessary, and lawful.
- Officers assisted another agency at a traffic stop where an occupant was physically resisting the officer. Officers helped gain control of the occupant until she could be handcuffed. There were no injuries to the suspect. One officer was kicked during the altercation but was unharmed. This use of force was reviewed and found to have been reasonable, necessary, and lawful.
Operations and Notable Events
- Detectives are investigating an overdose death. Three search warrants were executed and resulted in the seizure of narcotics and firearms.
- Twenty felony indictments were issued for second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The indictments were served on a 33-year-old male suspect that is currently being held without bond.
- Six felony indictments were issued for second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor and third-degree sexual exploitation of a minor. The indictments were served on a 22-year-old male suspect that is currently being held without bond.
- Detectives assisted the Baltimore Police Department with a 2001 homicide cold case.
Police Social Worker
- Co-responded 26 times in September.
- Completed 39 client visits and follow-ups from referrals from officers.
- Cammy and Officer Tinoco represented the Police Department at Love and Respect’s Save a Life Day. Save a Life Day is an annual harm reduction event where organizations provide overdose prevention training and resources to communities.
- Cammy attended the 2nd Annual North Carolina Coalition on Crisis and Alternative Response in Greensboro, North Carolina where she attended sessions learning how other organizations across the state handle co-response, navigating a system of siloed organizations, data collection, peer support in alternative response, rural crisis response, and verbal de-escalation.
License Plate Recognition Systems (LPRS) Monthly Usage
Community Outreach and Special Events
- The 80th Annual Apple Festival was held on Main Street from September 4th-7th. The festival concluded its final day with the King Apple Parade.
- Officer Robbie Baird won the Battle of the Badges Pie Eating Contest.
- Employees participated in the annual 9/11 memorial ceremony at the Historic Henderson County Courthouse. This annual event commemorates the lives lost on September 11, 2001.
- Downtown Hendersonville hosted the annual Art on Main event, which is one of the oldest art shows in Western NC.
- Communications & Technology Bureau Manager Amber Kleppe and Officer April Cameron went “Over the Edge” for Special Olympics. The two rappelled down the side of a seventeen-story building in downtown Raleigh. In total, $197,000 was raised for Special Olympics North Carolina.
 
Fraud
- We received 11 reports of fraud this month.
- According to the FBI, individuals and businesses with active applications for building permits are being targeted by criminals impersonating city and county planning and zoning officials. If you receive unsolicited emails that instruct you to pay invoices that emphasize urgency and require a wire transfer, ACH, a peer-to-peer payment, gift cards or cryptocurrency, use caution. These payment methods are often not recoverable.
- If you suspect that you have received a phishing scheme email, do not use any contact information in the email. Contact the city or county government using the phone numbers listed on the official website to verify any outstanding payments due.
- Please remember to be very suspicious of unsolicited phone calls that ask for money of any type, especially wire transfers and gift card purchases. Never be afraid to hang the phone up and contact the Police Department if there is any doubt.
- To report cyber-enabled crime to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and for further resources and data collection by the FBI, please visit the FBI website.
- To report scams to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and for further resources and data collection by the FTC, please visit the FTC website.
Budget Summary
Recruiting and Retention
- 2 of 19 non-sworn employee vacancies exist.
- 5 of 51 Police Officer vacancies exist.
- (9) applications received
- (3) in background
- (0) conditional offer made
- (0) rejected
- (0) withdrawn
Learn more about employment with the Hendersonville Police Department.
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