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Buncombe County - Ongoing State of Emergency

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State of Emergency

Learn how to be prepared

VIEW NEIGBORHOOD CRIME REPORTS - SEARCH.CLICK.DISCOVER.

City/County data tailored to any address within Buncombe County. View neighborhood crime reports by address, all within one application accessible via one search.


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Meet the Sheriff

Quentin E. Miller was elected to a four-year term as Sheriff of Buncombe County in 2018 and sworn into office on December 3 of that year. Sheriff Miller was born and raised in Asheville and serves as the first African-American Sheriff of Buncombe County. Since taking office in 2018, Sheriff Miller has implemented a 21st Century policing model in order to promote his vision for a Community of WE.

From 1994 to 2018 he served with the Asheville Police Department and spent more than 20 years serving the community as a patrol officer, school resource officer, and supervisor. In his time with APD, Sheriff Miller earned his Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate from the North Carolina Department of Justice and graduated from the Administrative Officers Management Program at N.C. State.

Prior to his time with the APD, Sheriff Miller served 11 years in the U.S Army as a Military Policeman (MP) and completed two tours in Germany. These experiences and his time living in the California desert while stationed at Fort Irwin taught him a lot about the world.

While stationed at Fort Bragg in 1985, Quentin met Army Specialist Karen Sconiers. They have been married for more than 30 years and enjoy spending time with their ten grandchildren. Quentin and Karen live in the Avery’s Creek community of Buncombe County and have fostered more than 100 children in their home since 2005. Service and a culture of compassion are important to the Millers as they focus their energy on mentoring our next generation of leaders.

As Sheriff, Quentin has built a diverse group of stakeholders to better inform the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office’s ability to lead as the premiere law enforcement agency in Western North Carolina. Sheriff Miller knows that it is important to have all voices at the table as he continues to implement measures to improve the Sheriff’s Office by building stronger community relations, and ensuring our team is held to the highest standards of professionalism and accountability.

Photo of Sheriff Miller

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently asked questions for the Buncombe County Sheriff's Office

For Fiscal Year 2020, the total budget for the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office is $41,125,271. This Fiscal Year runs from July 1, 2019 to June 30, 2020. This budget amount is approved by the seven-member Buncombe County Board of Commissioners. Salaries and wages account for 86% of the total budget at the Sheriff’s Office.

Salaries for employees of the Sheriff's Office are available to the public with our interactive "Positions & Pay" dashboard.

The Sheriff's Office organizational structure is determined by Sheriff Miller. View a detailed organizational chart for the Sheriff's Office.

Contact the City-County Division of Identification by calling 828-250-4665 for information regarding a criminal background check, or have them visit the Division of Identification online to obtain a request form.

This will cover Buncombe County court cases only. There is a $5.00 charge and 24-hour processing period for this service.

Fingerprints and background checks are also handled through the City-County Division of Identification.

We are now located at 52 Coxe Avenue. Customers coming to the ID Bureau should park in the spaces marked "Reserved" and will NOT have to pay for parking while doing business with the ID Bureau.

For offenses that could result in possible felony charges, Buncombe County residents should contact the Sheriff’s Department so a report can be taken and an investigation initiated. These offenses include sexual assault and assault with a deadly weapon. For offenses that could result in misdemeanor charges, such as harassing phone calls or certain larceny offenses, victims can go to the Magistrate's Office to request a criminal summons. Please contact the Sheriff's Office at (828) 250-4503 if you have any questions regarding this process.

To find information regarding towed vehicles, call the Sheriff’s Department Patrol Division at (828) 250-4502. The Patrol Division is located at 339 New Leicester Highway, behind the McDonald’s, in Asheville.

Call Communications at (828) 250-6670 and request to be added to the extra check list. The Communicator will ask you the necessary questions and add you to the list.

Under North Carolina law, certain persons who have been convicted of a sex offense or an offense against a minor are required to establish and maintain registration in compliance with the North Carolina Sex Offender and Public Protection Registration Programs.​ Find out more about the NC Sex Offender Registry.

Locate & Contact

Sheriff's Office

Contact

Sheriff's Office Administration
P: (828) 250-4503

Non-Emergency Calls
P: (828) 250-6670

Sheriff's Office
60 Court Plaza, 4th Floor
Asheville, NC 28801

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Hours of Operation

Monday through Friday
8 a.m. to 5 p.m.


Sheriff's Office Facility Locations

Sheriff's Office
60 Court Plaza, 4th Floor
Asheville, NC 28801

Detention Facility
20 Davidson Drive
Asheville, NC 28801

Magistrate's Office
20 Davidson Drive
Asheville, NC 28801

Patrol Division
339 New Leicester Highway
Asheville, NC 28806