Karl Clark is a passionate law enforcement expert with a combined domestic and international career spanning 46 years. He possesses extensive senior-level experience in executive decision making, policy direction, program and budget development and implementation, and program management. He excelled at working with domestic and international inter-agencies.
He began his career as a patrol officer with the Roanoke Rapids, NC police department in June 1978. He served as patrol officer, detective, patrol sergeant, and patrol lieutenant. He then served six years as the chief of the Weldon, NC police department. While with RRPD, he was once recognized as Police Officer of the Year.
Beginning November 1999, Mr. Clark served four years with the United Nations Civilian Police (CivPol) mission in East Timor (now Timor Leste) following the country’s breakaway from Indonesia. In this post, he held several senior positions, including acting deputy commissioner, district commander of one of thirteen districts in the country, and deputy commander of the UN mission’s Serious Crimes Unit, which investigated allegations of crimes against humanity committed during Indonesia’s occupation. He was awarded the United Nations Medal and a UN Police Commissioner’s Commendation for his work in Timor.
He began his association with the United States Dept. of Justice’s International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP) in 2004 as a contracted police advisor and advisor to the Deputy Minister of Interior in Timor Leste. He served as a senior police advisor in Timor Leste, Indonesia, and Pakistan.
Mr. Clark was recruited as a full-time federalized member of ICITAP to design, implement, and manage multi-million-dollar police and corrections development programs. In this capacity, he served as the Program Manager/Attache’ in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and North Macedonia.
Before retiring in June of 2024, he served as the senior advisor to the ICITAP Deputy Director for Management, Administration, and Strategic Services. Mr. Clark worked very closely with senior leadership of the countries where he worked whose advice and guidance permanently changed how the countries’ national police agencies operated.
Mr. Clark received numerous awards while employed with the Justice Department, including the ICITAP Director’s Award for Valor and seven ICITAP Sustained Superior Performance Awards for his law enforcement development work in Pakistan, Bangladesh, the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia. He was also recognized by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) for his award-winning work with the Pakistan explosives response training program, which he envisioned then designed and implemented in coordination with ATF. In 2012, he was the recipient of the State Department’s Superior Honor Award in recognition of the innovative and highly regarded program in Bangladesh.
Karl Clark
International Executive Leadership.
Proven at the Highest Levels.
Bruce Temple brings nearly four decades of dedicated public service to Halifax County, with 38 years in law enforcement and corrections. His career reflects progressive leadership, operational excellence, and an unwavering commitment to protecting the citizens of this community.
Bruce began his criminal justice journey in 1985 studying Criminal Justice at Jefferson College in Ohio. In 1986, he joined the North Carolina Department of Corrections, followed by graduating from Basic Law Enforcement Training at the North Carolina Justice Academy in Salemburg in 1987.
He began his law enforcement career with the Roanoke Rapids Police Department, where he helped develop the department’s first Field Training Program and rose steadily through the ranks — serving as Corporal, Sergeant, Shift Lieutenant, and later Lieutenant of Investigations supervising detectives and narcotics officers. He earned the North Carolina Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate and accumulated thousands of hours of leadership, supervisory, and investigative training. During his tenure, he received multiple Officer of the Year awards and was publicly voted “Best Public Servant” by the community on several occasions.
In 2002, Bruce joined the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office under Sheriff Jeff Frazier. He served as Detective, Detective Lieutenant, Major of Investigations and Narcotics, and ultimately retired as Chief Deputy in 2016. His responsibilities included supervising detectives, narcotics, civil process, jail operations, evidence control, and serving as liaison to the District Attorney and federal prosecutors. He implemented policy improvements, strengthened field training programs, created employee evaluation systems, and coordinated Church Watch, Neighborhood Watch, and Halifax County CrimeStoppers.
Bruce supervised large-scale federal drug investigations and a federal corruption case that resulted in the arrest of multiple local law enforcement and correctional officers. He also served in an on-call capacity 24/7 for 28 years to ensure public safety across Halifax County.
After retiring from the Sheriff’s Office, Bruce continued serving in a civil position with the North Carolina Department of Public Safety at Roanoke River Correctional Facility, managing a million-dollar canteen operation and assisting in corrections-based investigations in coordination with the FBI that led to multiple arrests of corrupt officers.
Since 2018, Bruce has served as a School Resource Officer for the Roanoke Rapids Graded School District. In this role, he mentors youth, maintains campus safety, and provides security at school and community events. This position has strengthened his commitment to protecting children and addressing substance abuse, repeat offenders, and violence impacting local neighborhoods.
Bruce believes Halifax County deserves strong leadership, accountability, and a criminal justice system that works effectively for victims and citizens alike. With firsthand knowledge of the Sheriff’s Office’s capabilities, he is committed to advancing solutions that reduce crime, address case backlogs, and improve the overall quality of life for all residents.
Bruce Temple
Progressive Local Command Leadership.
Built on Decades of Service.
Jay Burch has dedicated his entire law enforcement career to serving the citizens of Halifax County, building a record of operational leadership, major case success, and institutional reform across patrol, narcotics, investigations, and detention administration.
Jay began his career with the Roanoke Rapids Police Department after graduating from the North Carolina Justice Academy. Assigned to C-Squad as a Patrolman, he later became a certified Field Training Officer and Criminal Justice Instructor. He concluded his service there in 1998 as a Master Officer.
In July 1998, Jay joined the Halifax County Sheriff’s Office, where he would serve in progressively higher leadership roles for the next two decades. He worked as a Patrol Deputy and Corporal before serving as Sergeant of a specialized traffic unit focused on Interstate 95 and high-crime areas. He was later promoted to Patrol Sergeant and then Patrol Lieutenant, supervising one of the Sheriff’s Office’s most productive squads. Under his leadership, patrol deputies routinely conducted drug investigations and executed their own search warrants.
In 2004, Jay was assigned to supervise the Narcotics Division, where he led Operation Burnout — the most productive Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation in agency history. The investigation resulted in over forty major drug traffickers indicted, more than fifty federal convictions, and over 460 years of combined federal prison sentences. The operation also led to substantial asset seizures, including cash, real property, narcotics, and firearms.
In 2009, Jay was promoted to Captain of the Investigations Division, overseeing major crimes and conducting case reviews of all criminal investigations. He provided leadership in complex cases and testified in numerous state and federal trials.
In 2013, he was transferred to the Halifax County Detention Center as a Major and Jail Administrator. In this role, he supervised daily facility operations, managed and monitored the detention budget, and ensured compliance with North Carolina Administrative Code standards. His evaluation and presentation to the Halifax County Commissioners resulted in pay increases for detention staff and the addition of eight full-time detention officers. He also served as an advisor to the North Carolina Justice Academy’s State Board reviewing the Detention Officer Certification Course and participated in research initiatives with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and NC CREED to address detention overpopulation and improve operational efficiency.
Jay retired in 2018 after a career defined by leadership, accountability, and measurable results.
Throughout his service, Jay has remained focused on training development, drug enforcement strategy, operational improvement, and restoring pride and integrity within the Sheriff’s Office. He believes effective leadership requires transparency, accountability, and a commitment to protecting both the badge and the trust of the citizens it represents.
Jay is committed to advancing proven programs, implementing innovative strategies, and working alongside dedicated public servants to strengthen public safety and improve quality of life for all residents of Halifax County.