Ricky Hooks

Ricky Hooks is a lifelong resident of Wayne County, having graduated from Eastern Wayne High School in 1987. He began his law enforcement career in 1993 as a police officer with the Town of Mount Olive after earning his Basic Law Enforcement Certification and an Associate's Degree from Wayne Community College. In 1997, he joined the NC State Highway Patrol, where he served for over two decades, earning several promotions and retiring as the Troop Commander for Troop C in September 2021. He holds a Bachelor's Degree in Criminal Justice from NC Wesleyan College. After retirement from the highway patrol, he joined the Wayne County Sheriff's Office in November 2021, serving as a School Resource Officer and later as a Detective. He resigned in April 2025 to campaign for Sheriff and also serves as a part-time instructor at Wayne Community College.