Now, Col. Fred Rutledge is the No. 2 man at the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office. His experience includes more than 33 years as deputy, sergeant, lieutenant, captain of the civil division and major of operations, through four sheriffs — Carl Moore, Robert Mason, Litchard Hurley and Maynard Reid.
The Sheriff trusts Fred’s expertise. An extreme day can include a search for a lost child or supervising a hostage situation. “If we have a bad call and the SWAT team has to go out, I want Freddy Rutledge to be there,” Maynard said.
“I value his knowledge of SWAT training and operations.”
Roger Blackwell, a reserve officer with the Sheriff’s Office since 1978, commented on Fred’s skills and professionalism.
“He is the same in every situation,” said Roger. “He does not overreact. He evaluates, doesn’t get excited, keeps calm and keeps focused on the situation.
“His leadership is first class. He doesn’t think he’s better than anyone. He wouldn’t ask anyone to do anything he wouldn’t do himself.”
Fred’s wife, Cindy, agrees. “He is very levelheaded and has great communication skills in dealing with situations that sometimes involve danger to the public as well as fellow law enforcement officers.”
Those traits, that make him one of the most respected officers in the county, belong to a man whose plans didn’t include law enforcement.
A 1973 Trinity High School graduate, Fred earned his bachelor’s degree at High Point College. He picked up an application form from the Sheriff’s Office as part of a resume assignment. When the assignment was over, he submitted it to the Sheriff’s Office.
After graduation, as Fred dreamed of a restful summer, Sheriff Carl Moore offered him a job.
“I didn’t plan on going to work that summer,” Fred admitted, but he was ready to explore a new world.
“I did it so that I could meet people in the community and maybe find a job and figure out what I wanted to do,” he said. “As it turned out, catching the bad guys was what I wanted to do.
When they assigned him to his hometown area, he was hooked. “I loved it because it was home,” Fred said.
Law enforcement in this end of Randolph County was anything but boring. One week Litchard Hurley, a sergeant who would later become sheriff, caught a suspect breaking into Archdale Pharmacy. A week later, Fred caught the same man using a pry bar to break into a coin-operated car wash.
“There was a lot going on in Archdale at that time,” he said.
Law enforcement comes down to common sense and instincts, Fred explains. As a trainer for other law enforcement personnel, he passes on his experience and hones those instincts. “Training is a big part of what I do,” he says.
Fred helped charter the Randolph County Emergency Response Team, an elite group that requires specialized training in firearms, weapons, tactics and hot zone or hazardous material situations. He and other officers participated in a joint training exercise Feb. 27 on English Farm Road in Archdale.
Fred has even set up SWAT training in his own backyard, with urban and rural settings to simulate Randolph County areas.
He serves as a firearms instructor where snipers test at distances from 100 to 1,000 yards.
“Look at these,” Fred said as he displayed his students’ “homework” target papers. “This is how the counter-snipers qualify. At 100 yards distance, the state requires a 2-inch pattern, but they encourage you to do [better].”
All of his students exceed state requirements.
Fred keeps the officers current on their qualifications and for the past 10 years, he has taught basic law enforcement training classes at Randolph Community College.
“(He’s) one of the most knowledgeable people I know on civil law,” Maynard said.
Fred also shares his skills with folks who aren’t in law enforcement. For the past five years, he’s instructed N.C. Wildlife hunter safety classes as a volunteer. The class covers topics such as tree stand safety and proper use of firearms and bows.
He’s led the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office motorcycle unit since it began about three years ago. The Harleys were purchased and painted like the patrol cars. They didn’t cost taxpayers any loot — drug seizure funds paid the bill.
Fred’s bike has more than 10,000 miles on its odometer. Members of the unit make appearances on a volunteer basis, recently traveling to John Lawrence Elementary School for career day.
“Our motorcycle unit has appeared at more than 100 charitable events,” Maynard said. “They provide escort for funerals, do Victory Junction Gang Camp events and ride in parades.”
Fred’s passion for the job of keeping people safe affects his family and requires their support.
“We both understand service to law enforcement is a commitment that sometimes means sacrifice to family and friends,” said Cindy. “Law enforcement is a 24-hour, seven days a week job.
“If a family event is planned or there is a holiday and a call comes in, he has to answer that call. As a patrol officer, your work schedule may fall on holidays or weekends. Detectives or members of the SWAT team may be called in the middle of the night to investigate a crime or resolve a dangerous situation.”
Even with that measure of commitment, Fred knows how to unwind — from driving a tractor to fishing.
Fred and his nephew, Will Fousek, enjoy vintage tractors. Last summer, they drove 35 miles on a 1953 John Deere Model 60. The event, organized by Mid-State Heritage Tractor Association, benefited Brenner Children’s Hospital.
Fred loves to fish, too. He hasn’t sunk a line into the new Randleman Lake, but it’s high on his list. Normally, he releases the fish.
The bad guys aren’t that lucky.
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