RALEIGH, N.C. — Democrat Willie Rowe won the election for Wake County sheriff, defeating the former longtime sheriff, Republican Donnie Harrison.

Rowe defeated Harrison with 53.5% of the vote.

The outgoing sheriff, Gerald Baker, lost his bid for reelection in a primary runoff over the summer. Baker had been criticized for a lack of transparency at the department.

Wake County sheriffs are elected to a four-year term and are in charge of the jails, law enforcement in unincorporated parts of the county, serving legal papers, issuing gun permits and other duties. 

About 1,000 people, sworn officers and civilians, work for the sheriff’s office.

It has been a rough couple of months for the sheriff’s office. Deputy Ned Byrd was shot and killed in August.

Byrd’s family criticized the sheriff for his handling of the investigation and the funeral arrangements.

Harrison’s tenure at the helm of the sheriff’s office was not without controversy. In 2008, Harrison had Wake County join the 287(g) program to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Under the Bush-era federal program, Wake County jail staff checked the immigration status of people arrested and passed undocumented immigrants on to ICE.

Many in the county said the program discriminated against Latinos and made them less likely to report crimes.

Baker ended the program in 2019, shortly after becoming sheriff.

Both Rowe and Harrison say they now oppose Wake County participating in the immigration program.