High Country Times

State Sen. Deanna Ballard (R-Blowing Rock) was honored last month for her work in the state Legislature by the North Carolina Sheriff's Association with the 2019 Defender of Public Safety Award.

Ballard, 41, was notified about the recognition on March 19 in a letter from Brunswick County Sheriff John W. Ingram, who is the organization president.

"Thank you for the Defender of Public Safety Award North Carolina Sheriffs' Association!," Ballard posted to her Facebook page. "It is always a privilege to stand and work alongside all our local law enforcement in service to our communities."

The sheriff's association credited Ballard with playing a critical role in promoting key law enforcement issues during the 2019 legislative session, the organization cited as a reason for her honoring. As a result, the General Assembly enacted dozens of new laws impacting public safety for North Carolinians, the association said in the March 19 statement. 

"Sen. Ballard took a leadership role in advancing the legislative priorities of the North Carolina Sheriff's Association, which represents all 100 sheriffs in the state," Ingram said in the statement.

Ballard’s legislative district represents sheriff’s departments and other law enforcement agencies in Wilkes, Watauga, Alleghany, Ashe and Surry counties.