Cory Scroggs and son Levi.
By Deby Jo Ferguson
Staff writer
Cory Scroggs, 36, a resident of Clay County, was born Hiawassee to Charity and Scott Scroggs. Cory has one son, Levi, who is 9 years old.
“My son Levi looks just like me and my mom says he acts like me too,” Scroggs laughed.
Growing up, Scroggs said he spent a lot of time with his uncles.
“They taught me everything from dairy farming to gardening. They also taught me the good work ethics that I have today and hope to pass on to my son. My mamaw on my mom’s side taught me gardening and all the tricks that the older generation used to survive. My grandpa passed away when mama was young, so I missed out getting to know him.
“I remember spending time just sitting out on the porch with my grandpa and grandma Scroggs listening to the radio and rocking in the chairs. It was just a simpler time then,” Scroggs said.
Scroggs graduated from high school in 2007.
“Now that I look back on it, high school was a blur. Spent my days playing sports, hunting, working and hanging out with friends. I wanted time to speed up back then and now I wish it would slow down some,” he said. “After graduation I started working at Jacky Jones changing the oil in cars or whatever needed to be done. I didn’t want to go to college, I just wanted to go to work. I also worked a couple part-time jobs at convenience stores until I got my job working at the jail.”
In 2011 Scroggs went to work at the Clay County Detention Center as a detention officer.
“I knew I wanted to go into law enforcement well before I ever got the chance. Just like most officers, I wanted to work in law enforcement to help people. It can be trying sometimes, but it is also rewarding,” he said.
Scroggs attended detention officer training at N.C. Justice Academy in 2013 after going to work at the detention center and while working at the jail, he also went to basic law enforcement training.
“Oh, the joys of school. Detention officer school wasn’t what I thought it was going to be. Honestly, I thought it would be a lot harder than it was. Don’t get me wrong, the studying and running was a lot, but it didn’t compare to the studying and running you had to do during BLET,” Scroggs said.
“The bond I made with my classmates in both schools will never be broken. It’s like having another family and nice making new friends in the career choice I want to retire from. They will always be life-long friends,” Scroggs said.
Scroggs said he learned a lot during his time working at the detention center.
“I enjoyed working in the jail. I worked with and for a lot of great people. I enjoyed learning all I could about my job while working at the jail. We had daily things that had to be done, but each day was different. It’s a lot like being on the road now, you never know what you’re are going to face each day. Some days are slow and others we don’t have time to eat.
“When it comes to going on the road after working at the jail, I feel like every officer that wants to be on patrol should do at least a year working in the jail. There, they would learn how the process goes once someone is brought in and respect the detention officers for what they do as well. I believe it has helped me greatly,” Scroggs said.
Scroggs begin road patrol with the Clay County Sheriff’s Office on Oct. 10, 2022.
“Once I began working on the road I loved it. It is everything I thought it would be and more. I like being out and about in the community, being outside and not cooped up in a building. I love what I’m doing.
“My goal is to grow in my knowledge of law enforcement through my experiences, the sheriff’s office and everyone in the community I come into contact with. Everyone wants to move up the ladder of course, but I also want to help young officers coming aboard to be the best they can be, I want to be someone they can look up to,” Scroggs said.
Contentment found in simpler times is something that is still important to Scroggs.
“My goal in life is to be happy, simple as that. I met the love of my life, Kalece, in 2016. We became friends and the rest was history. We have a wedding date set for October of this year and I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with her and my son. I have friends and family that mean the world to me. This is the life I have always wanted and I want to grow in my relationship with God and my family,” Scroggs said.
Sometimes it feels like a long road to get to where you want to be, but with the drive to succeed and the support of others Scroggs has conquered much.
“I am eternally grateful to those that supported my choices in life and were there for me. My mom and dad were always supporting the things I wanted to do. I wish my dad could be here today to enjoy life with me but he passed in 2017. The main reason I’m where I am today goes to God. He gave me the strength and patience to make it through the trying times in my life. I know I failed him sometimes, but he has never failed me,” he said.
Advice can sometimes be over-looked but if one opens their heart and mind advice might save a ton of grief or disappointment.
“If you’re just starting out in the real world, never leave the one that knows you better than you know yourself. You wouldn’t be here today without God. Always be true to yourself, life is too short to act like someone you’re not. Be around people that lift you up and support you and let you support them also. Good, genuine people are hard to find in the world sometimes. They are there, we just have to be patient and let the spirit lead us until we find them,” Scroggs concluded.