Editor
A Tale of Two NC Sheriffs examines how contrasting philosophies of law enforcement shape justice, incarceration, and public trust in rural North Carolina. The series follows Pitt County Sheriff Paula Dance—the first African American woman elected sheriff in the state—alongside longtime Sheriff Terry Johnson, whose collaboration with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has drawn both support and criticism.
As editor, I shaped two parallel character-driven narratives that reveal how leadership style translates into policy, culture, and lived experience within their communities. The edit balances access, restraint, and tension, allowing each perspective to unfold without flattening the moral complexity at the center of the story.