N.C. State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) agent Steve Modlin has retired after more than 28 years in law enforcement.
A retirement reception for Modlin was held Friday, Jan. 31 at Harmon Field.
Modlin began his law enforcement career in Cary, N.C. in 1986 after graduating from UNC-Charlotte with a bachelor of science in criminal justice. In Cary, Modlin became a detective and was then hired by the SBI in 1991. He was assigned as the resident criminal agent for Rutherford and Polk counties.
During Modlin’s career, he worked 79 homicides, many rape investigations, child abuse cases and other criminal investigations as well as serving on the police shooting on-call rotation.
In 2002, Modlin became part of the Western North Carolina Bomb Squad and ended his career serving as the senior bomb technician.
From 2002 to 2006, Modlin served as the western district hostage negotiator and was also clandestine laboratory certified since 2004.
Modlin is known to the Polk County community as a youth soccer coach as well as a volunteer on many local boards.
Modlin and his wife, Cheryl and three children started the Old Mule Company, a barbecue sauce business. The family also raises Katahdin Hair Sheep.
Modlin said he plans to focus his retirement on making sauce and raising sheep on their family farm located in Polk County.