Van Worth Shaw JR

Van W. Shaw Jr. is the incumbent Sheriff of Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and is seeking re‑election as the Republican candidate in the 2026 race for Cabarrus County Sheriff. The sheriff’s office in North Carolina is responsible for enforcing state and local laws, providing security for the county’s courts, operating the county jail, serving civil process, and overseeing public safety programs such as crime‑scene investigation, narcotics enforcement, and community outreach ¹¹.

Shaw was born and raised in North Carolina and earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Elon University, later completing a master’s degree in business administration at Pfeiffer University. He also graduated from North Carolina State University’s Administrative Officers Management Program and served ten years as a Military Police Officer in the United States Army Reserves ⁴⁹.

Shaw began his law‑enforcement career in 1987 with the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (NCSBI). Over a 28‑year tenure he rose to Deputy Director, holding senior positions such as Deputy Assistant Director of the Special Operations Division, Special Agent in Charge of the Special Services Unit and the Clandestine Laboratory Response Unit, and Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Southern Piedmont Field District. He also served on the SBI’s Special Response Team for thirteen years and taught as a specialized law‑enforcement instructor for the state ⁴.

In 2015 Shaw retired from the NCSBI and joined the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office as the head of its Criminal Investigation Division, overseeing investigations of vice, narcotics, gangs, sex offenders, crime scenes, and evidence management. He was promoted to Chief Deputy in 2018, managing daily operations of the office, and was elected the county’s 38th Sheriff on November 6, 2018, taking office on December 1, 2018. He was re‑elected in the 2022 general election, appearing on the ballot as the Republican candidate ¹⁴.

During his tenure, Shaw has emphasized community safety, inter‑agency cooperation, and modernizing the sheriff’s office. In his own words, he believes the sheriff must “ensure that the laws of this state and ordinances of this county are enforced to ensure order and safety for all citizens,” while also maintaining court security, a well‑managed detention center, and accountable financial and personnel practices ¹¹. He cites his three decades of residence in Cabarrus County, his military background, and his extensive investigative experience as the foundation for his leadership approach. Shaw lives in Concord with his wife, Taina, and two adult daughters, Hannah and Madison ⁹.

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