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OUR POLICE OFFICERS |
In the event of an emergency, please call 911. |
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Phillip Ferguson was named as the Town of Duck's Police Chief on December 21, 2007. He has been with the Duck Police Department since its inception being the first police officer hired by the Town in April 2003. He was promoted to the position of Assistant Chief of Police at the rank of Lieutenant in June 2005, and served as the Town's Interim Chief of Police from July to December 2007.
Chief Ferguson studied Police Administration at Eastern Kentucky University, holds a North Carolina Justice Academy Criminal Investigator's Certificate, a North Carolina Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate, and is a member of the Fraternal Order of Police and the National Police Bloodhound Association. He currently works with his partner Magic. Magic is an AKC (American Kennel Club) registered male Bloodhound who finds lost persons and apprehends criminals. Phillip and his wife Sandy moved to the Outer Banks in 1987 where their daughter Piper was born in 1988.
Chief Ferguson began his law enforcement career in 1987 with the Kill Devil Hills Police Department where he served until 1989. He then served under Sheriff Bert Austin with the Dare County Sheriff's Office until 2002 in patrol and as an investigator. "My family and I have been blessed to live on the Outer Banks. Please know that Magic and I are at your service." |
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First Sergeant Ackerman moved to Nags Head, NC from the Washington, D.C. area in 1990. After graduating from the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program at the College of the Albemarle, Jeff began his law enforcement career with the Nags Head Police Department. In 2000, Jeff transferred to the Dare County Sheriff’s Office under then Sherriff, A.L. “Bert” Austin. There Jeff served in the Patrol and Civil Divisions before being assigned to the D.A.R.E. Program. In addition to serving as the D.A.R.E. Officer for the elementary schools north of Hatteras Island, Jeff served as Program Manager for the Sheriff’s Therapeutic Wilderness Program, Alpine Tower, and Bicycle Safety Program. In this capacity Jeff wrote and administered grants and fundraising activities to benefit Dare County youth.
In 2003 Jeff joined the Town of Duck Police Department as a patrol officer. In the years that followed, Jeff was promoted through the ranks to First Sergeant. In this capacity Jeff co-supervises patrol operations, as well as, serves as the Department’s Training Officer.
First Sergeant Ackerman holds Advanced Law Enforcement Certification, is a certified General Instructor and Emergency Medical Technician, and has completed over 2,000 hours of law enforcement training during his career.
“It is my honor and privilege to work for the Town of Duck, and to be a part of what is, without question, the finest coastal community on the Outer Banks.”
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Sergeant Jeffrey Deringer
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Sergeant Deringer has been with the Duck Police Department since June 2006 and was promoted to the rank of Sergeant in January of 2007.Jeff worked for the State of North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts in the Juvenile Services Office and received training from the North Carolina Justice Academy. He served as a Field Training Officer for the Dare County Detention Center and continued his career with the Dare County Sheriff’s Office as a Deputy Sheriff assigned to the Civil Process Division. Jeff was promoted to the rank of Corporal and reassigned as a School Resource Officer at First Flight Middle School in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina. During his time in this position, Jeff was a part of the Sheriff’s Office Therapeutic Wilderness Program, conducted bicycle safety events, and served with the Dare County Teen Court Program. When not working with youth, Jeff served in the Sheriff’s Beach District Patrol.
Jeff is certified as a Police Cyclist by the International Police Mountain Bike Association and as a Glock Armorer. He has attended programs in School Resource Officer Leadership, Leadership Development for Managers, and the Emergency Management Institute and is a member of the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police and the North Carolina Police Executives Association. He was awarded certificates for the completion of Apprenticeship as a Deputy Sheriff from the United States Department of Labor and the North Carolina Department of Labor. Sergeant Deringer currently supervises patrol operations and assists with various administrative tasks. "I am honored to work with a fine department and serve the community of Duck."
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Officer Tara Armstrong was born in Petersburg, VA. and raised in Currituck County, NC. She graduated from Currituck County High School in 2000 and then went to further her education at East Carolina University. In 2004, as scheduled, she graduated with a B.S. degree in Criminal Justice. She then completed Basic Law Enforcement at the College of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City in December, 2004.
She was then hired as a part time Deputy at the Pasquotank County Sheriff's Department for four months. In July 2005, she decided that the Duck Police Department was where she wanted to start her first full time career as a Police Officer. |
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Officer Doug Doughtie has worked in law enforcement for 34 years. Officer Doughtie began riding with officers in Ahoskie, North Carolina when he was 18 years old and became a police dispatcher. Officer Doughtie started his career at the Ahoskie Police Department in 1977 and rose to the rank of Lieutenant working countless complex investigations.
In 1989 Officer Doughtie went to work for the Dare County Sheriff’s Office under Sheriff Bert Austin and again rose through the ranks to Lieutenant commanding the Criminal and Narcotics Investigations Division. Officer Doughtie finished his time at the Dare County Sheriff’s Office serving two years as the School Resource Officer in the First Flight High School and retired with 30 years of service in September 2006. Officer Doughtie began working part time for the Town of Duck Police Department in May 2007 bringing with him thirty years of experience and over 2,500 hours of training. Officer Doughtie serves as an integral part of our organization conducting investigations and assisting with patrol duties.
Doug lives in Kill Devil Hills with his wife Shanon and sons Tyler and Noah. Following in his father’s footprints Doug’s oldest son Brent recently began working for the Ahoskie Police Department. The Doughties are members at Kitty Hawk Baptist Church where Doug is actively involved with the youth program and serves on the Deacon Board. Doug also serves on the Board of Directors for Babe Ruth Baseball and is active with Dare County Parks and Recreation coaching basketball, baseball, and soccer.
“I have been a law enforcement officer for the past 34 years, this has been my life, and I have enjoyed serving the public in every aspect. Out of those 30 years I never went to work a day that I didn’t enjoy doing what I did.”
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Officer Jason Garrett was raised in Columbia, NC where he volunteered for the local fire department for six years. Officer Garrett then attended Basic Law Enforcement at the College of the Albemarle in 2005. Officer Garrett began his career with the Currituck County Sheriff’s Office where he was assigned to patrol Corolla for three years. In November 2008, Officer Garrett began working with the Town of Duck Police Department; Jason’s goal is to serve the community while growing both professionally and personally.
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Officer Benjamin Lobdell moved to Kill Devil Hills in August 2003 from Warren, Pennsylvania. Benjamin graduated from Warren High School in 2000. Benjamin decided to move to North Carolina to pursue a career in Law Enforcement. After finishing Basic Law Enforcement Training at College of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City in 2004, Benjamin was employed by Southern Shores Police Department where he worked from May 2004 until December 2005. Officer Lobdell then transferred to the Town of Kill Devil Hills Police Department where he worked from December 2005 until August 2009. Benjamin joined the Duck Police Department in November 2009. |
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Officer Tracy Mann joined the Duck Police Department in March 2007. Officer Mann is originally from Dare County. Tracy graduated from Manteo High School and then joined the Navy. During her four years in the service Tracy earned her B.S. in Management Studies from the University of Maryland University College. Once Tracy got out of the Navy she attended Appalachian State University and earned a B.S. in Psychology. In 2002 Tracy attended Basic Law Enforcement Training at the College of the Albemarle in Manteo and started working for the Dare County Sheriffs Office. She worked in the patrol division for a few years and then transferred to the 911 center.
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At a very young age, Officer Jason Rigler decided to follow in the family tradition by pursuing a career in Law Enforcement. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from The Citadel: Military College of South Carolina and after moving to Maple, North Carolina in December 2009 from Taneytown, Maryland, Officer Rigler completed the spring 2010 session of Basic Law Enforcement Training at the College of the Albemarle.
Officer Rigler joined the Duck Police Department in May, 2010. He is also enlisted in the Army National Guard Infantry.
“I am very thankful for the opportunity and the responsibility bestowed upon me by the Town of Duck. I look forward to a successful career in Law Enforcement and contributing to an already excellent Police Department. I will work hard to forge a solid, positive relationship with the community and everyone I serve.”
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On December 21, 2009 at eight weeks old, October's Magic Ribbon of Stirling Bridge became a member of Chief Phillip Ferguson's family and the Town of Duck Police Department Bloodhound Tracking Team. Magic is an AKC-registered male Bloodhound and his name is twofold. First, the magical month of his birth, October, and for the Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon; his human Mom, Chief Ferguson's wife Sandy, is a breast cancer survivor. This is followed by the Ferguson's kennel name, Stirling Bridge. Magic is a tracking dog; this is the only work he does.
The Bloodhound has the most highly-developed nose of all dogs and tracks a person by their individual scent. Scent is not body odor. The human body consists of approximately 60 trillion cells, which are constantly dying. Dying cells are shed from the body at a rate of about 50 million cells every second. After these cells are shed bacteria start to act upon them, and the cells begin to decay. As the cells decay they emit gases, each gaseous odor is slightly different, creating a scent unique to the individual. A person's genetics and environment will affect their scent. As a person moves he leaves a trail of scent. Once a trail is left by a person there are a number of environmental factors that will affect the scent such as wind, temperature, moisture, and time. Further, contaminants such as automobile exhaust fumes, chemicals, vegetable matter, and other human scent may affect the scent trail. Bloodhounds have been known to successfully complete trails that were over 100 hours old and over 50 miles long.
The "scent article" is an item that the missing person or fugitive is known to have had some contact with. Common scent articles include clothing, bedclothes, and automobile seats; however, unusual items such as a tuna can, tool handle, or cigarette lighter have been used successfully as scent articles. The tracking begins by locating a scent article. Then the handler must determine either where the trail begins, or where it likely begins. When the area is located the Bloodhound's harness is put on and the handler allows the dog to smell the scent article. The handler then gives the tracking command and the Bloodhound then smells the area, or "casts", for the scent. When the Bloodhound finds the scent the hunt is on. There is art in tracking and the Bloodhound is not a machine; the Handler must "read" the hound and know if the dog is having trouble with environmental factors or contamination. Such is the mark of a good handler, and Chief Ferguson believes that every handler has the dog he deserves. Now let's dispel a few bits of misinformation concerning Bloodhounds. Most Bloodhounds are friendly; though his rule is that if it has teeth it will bite. Bloodhounds are silent trackers and do not bay on the trail. Bloodhounds work "on lead", not running loose. Bloodhounds are not pack dogs, they usually work alone or occasionally in a pair known as a "brace". We would like to recognize Sandy, Chief Ferguson's wife, you see, Magic is her dog and she allows Chief Ferguson to bring him to work. Both Sandy and Chief's daughter Piper are invaluable in Magic's training; and Sandy too is a Bloodhound handler. For more information on Bloodhounds, visit The National Police Bloodhound Association Web site at http://npba.com/.
Please know that both Magic and Chief Ferguson are happy to serve you.
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Administrative Assistant Christie Moseman
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Christie Moseman moved to North Carolina with her husband James in 2000 after several years of vacationing on the Outer Banks. Her past employment includes personnel management, social services, and accounting but her heart is in the Public Safety field. Since 2001, she has been a volunteer firefighter and she is certified as a North Carolina Rescue Technician. Christie is delighted to be working as the Administrative Assistant with the Town of Duck Public Safety Department where she can use her experience in business and apply it to Public Safety.
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