Gerald Hege

Who is Gerald Hege?

Gerald Hege was the controversial sheriff of Davidson County, North Carolina. A veteran of the Vietnam War, he became famous for his highly eccentric behavior, his internationally known television show, and eventually for the charges of corruption that led to his resignation. He is a Republican, and former head of the Davidson County Republican Party. Hege's management style as head of the Davidson County Republican Party sparked a rift that nearly split county Republicans.

Gerald Hege was elected sheriff in 1994 by a margin of 261 votes. One of his better known campaign slogans was "When I am elected Sheriff, I will wear a uniform every day and there will be no deals for anybody." After his election, all Davidson County sheriff's cars were fitted with a front license plate proclaiming "NO DEALS" in large block letters.

His personal patrol vehicle was a 1995 Chevrolet Impala with a Chevrolet Corvette engine and nitrous oxide tanks. His department lost its insurance coverage when he boasted that he had driven the vehicle at speeds of up to 140 mph. The car was referred to as "The Spider Car" because of a custom paint job featuring a Black Widow Spider and the letters "DDT."