Police in NC can now release names, photos of juveniles charged with serious crimes

North Carolina is giving law enforcement more tools to investigate serious crimes involving juveniles.

Gov. Roy Cooper signed House Bill 186 into law Friday. It allows police to release the name, picture, and alleged offense of juveniles charged with serious crimes who are on the run.

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Iredell County Sheriff Darren Campbell says this will help law enforcement better protect the public.

“It’s based on showing the community that we’re doing our jobs to protect them from dangerous individuals and the juveniles that have committed these type of crimes,” he told Channel 9. “I mean, these are dangerous individuals that need to be apprehended as soon as possible.”

The information will only be released in instances a petition has been filed to transfer a case to adult court.

The new law requires police to remove all information from the internet once the juvenile has been taken into custody.

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