The 2018 mid-term elections will go down in history as voters elect Major Paula Dance as the first African American female sheriff in Pitt County.

Democrat Paula Dance faced off against Republican Gary Weaver. Dance is currently a major in the Sheriff's Department and her win makes her not only the first African American female sheriff in the state, but only the fifth in the entire country. Dance's opponent, Gary Weaver, ran his campaign as an outsider saying he wanted to bring fresh ideas to the county.

During the campaign, Major Dance reinforced experience in the Pitt County Sheriff's Office saying, "Selecting me as the next Sheriff will be a natural progression of promoting someone who has administrative experience in the department and a person who is ready to handle the position with the mission of protecting our citizens, putting citizens first and creating a safer county for our citizens."

Major Paula Dance has 28 years of law enforcement experience with 26 in the sheriff's department.

Dance said, "Good law enforcement is always necessary but GREAT law enforcement requires exceptional service with a common-sense approach gained through experiences within the department. Law enforcement is much more than just solving and deterring crime. Every interaction is an opportunity to enhance the quality of life for a citizen."