{"biography":"Len \u201cL.D.\u201d Hagaman Jr. is the incumbent Sheriff of Watauga County, North Carolina, and is seeking re\u2011election as the Democratic candidate in the 2026 race for the office[1][6]. The sheriff\u2019s role in North Carolina includes overseeing the county\u2019s law\u2011enforcement operations, managing the detention facility, providing court security, serving civil processes, and coordinating emergency response and public safety initiatives for the county\u2019s residents[6].\n\nA native of Watauga County, Hagaman graduated from Watauga High School before earning degrees from Wingate University and Appalachian State University[9]. He also served in the United States military, adding a veteran perspective to his public service career[9].\n\nHagaman\u2019s career in public safety spans more than three decades. He began as a Watauga County deputy and progressed through roles as patrol officer, juvenile officer, crime\u2011prevention officer, criminal investigator, and supervisor before being appointed major/police administrator for the Boone Police Department[9]. He later served as a certified law\u2011enforcement instructor for several community colleges and taught public\u2011administration courses at Appalachian State University[9]. Prior to his first election as sheriff, Hagaman held elected office as a Watauga County Commissioner and was the Town Manager of Boone, giving him experience in both law\u2011enforcement and municipal administration[9].\n\nFirst elected sheriff in 2012, Hagaman has now served for 12 years, winning three terms and running for a fourth in 2018[9]. During his tenure he has been recognized for innovative policing and community collaboration. In October 2023 he received the North Carolina Attorney General\u2019s Dogwood Award for his leadership during the recovery from Hurricane Helene, noting his office\u2019s welfare checks, rescues, and information\u2011sharing efforts[7]. He has also guided the department through tragic events, including the 2021 Boone shooting that claimed the lives of Sgt. Chris Ward and K\u20119 Deputy Logan\u202fFox; Hagaman publicly reflected on the loss and the department\u2019s resilience a year later[8][12].\n\nHagaman\u2019s stated priorities as sheriff include tackling domestic\u2011violence, methamphetamine production, and substance\u2011abuse challenges that affect the county\u2019s detention population. He highlighted the creation of a full\u2011time domestic\u2011violence officer and a dedicated unit, ongoing collaboration with state and federal task forces to dismantle meth labs, and a process to identify and treat individuals with substance\u2011abuse issues to reduce recidivism[9]. He also emphasized the importance of school\u2011resource officers and training to balance safety and educational environments[9].\n\nResidents can contact Sheriff Hagaman at the Watauga County Sheriff\u2019s Office, 184 Hodges Gap Road, Boone, NC 28607, by phone (828)\u202f264\u20113761 or email len.hagaman@watgov.org[6].\n\n## Sources\n- [1] [Len Hagaman Jr. (Watauga County Sheriff, North Carolina, candidate 2022) - Ballotpedia](https://ballotpedia.org/Len_Hagaman_Jr._(Watauga_County_Sheriff,_North_Carolina,_candidate_2022))\n- [5] [LISTEN: Watauga County Sheriff Len Hagaman & Major ...](https://www.facebook.com/WataugaOnline/videos/listen-watauga-county-sheriff-len-hagaman-major-kelly-redmon-joined-kenneth-reec/23957515030607722/)\n- [6] [Watauga County North Carolina Official Website](https://www.wataugacounty.org/app_pages/dept/sheriff/contact.aspx)\n- [7] [Hagaman honored with Attorney General\u2019s Dogwood Award | Local News | wataugademocrat.com](https://www.wataugademocrat.com/news/local/hagaman-honored-with-attorney-general-s-dogwood-award/article_c62b3a5c-8989-11ef-aaf1-575f6c1bfc76.html)\n- [8] [Watauga County sheriff speaks about fallen deputies one year later](https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nc/charlotte/news/2022/05/01/sheriff-hagaman-speaks-about-deputies-one-year-later)\n- [9] [Hagaman Seeking Fourth Term as Watauga County Sheriff, Faces Challenge From Republican David Searcy - High Country Press](https://www.hcpress.com/news/hagaman-seeking-fourth-term-as-watauga-county-sheriff-faces-challenge-from-republican-david-searcy.html)\n- [12] [Sheriff: Boone shooter attacked father days earlier - Washington Times](https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/may/1/sheriff-boone-shooter-attacked-father-days-earlier/)","campaigns":[{"contest":"county_sheriff","county":"watauga","county_count":1,"electiondate":"Tue, 03 Nov 2026 00:00:00 GMT","pgr":"general","state":"NC","title":"Watauga County Sheriff"}],"cf_filings":[],"firstname":"Len","fullname":"Len Doughton Hagaman JR","lastname":"Hagaman","middlename":"Doughton","office_history":[{"campaigns":[{"contest":"county_sheriff","contest_title":"Watauga County Sheriff","county":"watauga","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"watauga","office_key":"county_sheriff","office_title":"Sheriff","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"}],"county":"watauga","cycles":[{"general":{"contest":"county_sheriff","contest_title":"Watauga County Sheriff","county":"watauga","county_count":1,"electiondate":"2026-11-03","office_county":"watauga","office_key":"county_sheriff","office_title":"Sheriff","party":"DEM","pgr":"general","state":"NC"},"party":"DEM","primary":null,"term":null,"year":2026}],"office_key":"county_sheriff","office_title":"Sheriff","state":"NC","terms":[]}],"suffix":"JR","summary":"Len \u201cL.D.\u201d Hagaman Jr., the incumbent Democratic sheriff of Watauga County, NC, is running for re\u2011election in 2026, bringing over a decade of law\u2011enforcement leadership and community service.","terms":[],"token":"8a18bcf36df0deeb"}