RALEIGH, N.C. (WITN) - Gov. Josh Stein has appointed Jeffrey Smythe to replace Eddie Buffaloe as the new secretary of the state’s Department of Public Safety, effective Jan. 1.

“I am excited to announce the appointment of Jeffrey Smythe as the new Secretary of Public Safety,” said Stein. “With his extensive record in public safety as the former police chief in Burlington and the current director of the Criminal Justice Standards Division at the Department of Justice, Jeff is the right person for the job.”

Smythe has served as director since Stein hired him in Aug. 2021 and has worked in law enforcement for about 39 years. When Smythe worked as the former Burlington police chief, he implemented initiatives, such as officer preparedness, de-escalation methods, and behavioral health resou

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