The acting director of the State Bureau of Investigation today introduced his management team to the members of the Joint Legislative Oversight Committee on Justice and Public Safety. B.W. Collier gave a progress report on the transition for the SBI since it was moved to the Department of Public Safety from the Department of Justice in August.

“We have made a lot of progress in a short time finding efficiencies and looking for ways to better streamline operations,” Collier said. “We have reorganized some of the upper level management functions that will ultimately lead to some monetary savings, but more importantly are designed to provide for more effective use of resources.” Van Shaw is the deputy director for the SBI. He will oversee the Special Investigations Unit and the Internal Affairs Unit. In that capacity, he will directly oversee public corruption investigations and internal complaints against employees.

Shaw began his career with the State Bureau of Investigation in 1987. Prior to the August promotion, Shaw served as the deputy assistant director with the Special Operations Division and the Special Services Unit. He holds a political science degree from Elon University, a master’s degree in business administration from Pfeiffer University, and he is a graduate of North Carolina State University’s Administrative Officers Management Program. He served in the United States Army Reserves as a Military Police Officer for 10 years.

Mark J. Senter is the deputy director for Alcohol Law Enforcement, which was merged with the SBI. He will oversee all ALE operations.

Senter began his career with the state as a correctional officer at Central Prison in April 1990. Senter then transitioned to ALE at the end of October 1990. Senter previously served twice as interim director and served as the deputy director of ALE prior to the consolidation with the SBI. His past assignments include special agent in charge of the Hickory and Asheville districts, Assistant special agent in charge of the Raleigh District, assistant special agent in charge of the Elizabeth City District, and as a special agent in the Raleigh and Wilmington districts. He received a bachelor’s degree in economics and a minor in history from North Carolina State University. He is also a certified public manager as a graduate of the N.C. Office of State Personnel’s Public Manager Program, and holds the State Advanced Law Enforcement Certificate. He has been a certified General Law Enforcement Instructor for the state since 1997.

Collier recently named Janie Pinkston Sutton as assistant director of Field Operations. This division is comprised of field agents that provide expert investigative assistance with criminal cases when requested by local police, sheriffs, district attorneys and judges.

Sutton, formerly the special agent in charge of the Southeastern District, has worked with the SBI since 1991. She was promoted in 1998 to assistant special agent in charge where she supervised a team of field agents. During that time, Sutton was named field training coordinator and crisis negotiation team leader. In 2009, Sutton was promoted to special agent in charge of the Southeastern District. Sutton has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Lowell in Massachusetts.

Renee Robinson is continuing to serve as assistant director for Special Operations and Mark Brewington is the assistant director for Administrative Services.

The assistant director position for Professional Standards has been eliminated. However, investigations related to professional standards and public corruption cases remain a priority and this is a change only to the management reporting structure. Ultimately, these cases will be overseen by the director and deputy director. This realignment will increase efficiencies in upper management and administrative support, while maintaining critical field operations.

Seven out of nine of the ALE offices have been moved to co-locate with the SBI district offices. Many other resources are being shared to include training and intelligence analysis. The agency will continue to look for efficiencies and ways to save that do not have an adverse impact on operations, services provided to law enforcement or public safety.

“We will continue to strengthen SBI’s operations to keep abreast of the times and continue to provide needed support to all district attorneys, sheriffs and police chiefs, investigating crimes and serving the public in the best way we can,” Collier said. “We will also continue building on the strong partnership we have with the Department of Public Safety, further strengthening the sharing of intelligence with a particular focus on drug and gang investigations.”

Contact: Pamela Walker
Phone: (919) 733-5027