Yancey County Sheriff's Office

Much of the Yancey County Sheriff's Office in western North Carolina works out of the county courthouse. The county jail sits on the basement level of the Yancey County Courthouse and holds people awaiting trial, people serving short sentences and those convicted and waiting for transfer to the state prison system, and the county's 911 Emergency Communications Center, a division of the sheriff's office, operates from the old jail beneath the same building. Staffed around the clock, that center dispatches for the sheriff's office, the Burnsville Police Department, Yancey Rescue, Yancey EMS and all eight of the county's volunteer fire departments. Upstairs, deputies post in the courtroom to protect court personnel and the public during cases, and they serve criminal and civil papers, including warrants and summonses for witnesses. The elected sheriff is responsible for enforcing North Carolina law and county ordinances across the county. Residents can also connect through the office's mobile app, which takes crime reports and tips, shares public safety news and provides information on county inmates, registered sex offenders and gun permits, though the office stresses that the app is not for emergencies and that anyone needing urgent help should call 911.