Greta Philbeck began her law enforcement career in 1994 with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office, where she was assigned to the Isothermal Narcotics Task Force. During those early years, Greta worked drug investigations throughout western North Carolina, gaining valuable experience in narcotics enforcement and criminal investigations. She later transitioned to the Civil Division and continued serving the citizens of Rutherford County in a variety of capacities. Greta completed her career with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office in 2015, retiring as a Sergeant assigned to the Rutherford County Courthouse.

Greta’s service to the Fraternal Order of Police began in 1998 when she joined Rutherford County FOP Lodge #36. Her commitment to the organization quickly grew, and she went on to serve for several years as President of Lodge #36. She later transferred her membership to Cleveland County Lodge #18, where she has remained an active and dedicated member and serves as the lodge’s State Lodge Trustee.

Throughout more than two decades of service to the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police, Greta has accepted numerous leadership roles and committee assignments. In 2001, under Past State President Don Penix, she was selected to serve on the very first NCFOP Labor Committee. She has also served for many years on the NCFOP Awards Committee and currently serves as its Chairperson. In addition, Greta has served on the Credentialing Committee at numerous State Conferences. Her dedication to the Order is further demonstrated by her remarkable attendance record—she has attended every NCFOP State Conference since 2000 and every National FOP Conference since 1999.

In 2025, NCFOP State President Chet Effler appointed Greta to the North Carolina FOP State Memorial Committee, providing another opportunity for her to use her extensive experience with memorial services to honor North Carolina law enforcement officers who made the ultimate sacrifice.

In 2026, Greta took another significant step in her service to the membership when she made the decision to seek election to the NCFOP State Executive Board. The delegates elected her to serve as State Sergeant-at-Arms. In this position, Greta is responsible for meeting access and security, meeting setup and logistics, and assisting with external partners during State Lodge meetings and official functions. Her election represents a continuation of the hands-on service that has characterized her involvement with the FOP throughout her career.

Greta’s service extends well beyond North Carolina. Since 2001, she has served as a member of the National Fraternal Order of Police Memorial Committee, one of the most important and solemn responsibilities within the Order. The committee is responsible for the annual National Peace Officers Memorial Service, held each May 15 on the West Front Lawn of the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. The service honors law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty during the previous year and brings together surviving families and thousands of law enforcement officers from across the nation.

The National Memorial Committee consists of twelve FOP members from across the country who work throughout the year to ensure that the memorial service is safe, secure, organized, and conducted with the dignity deserved by the fallen officers and their families. The committee is divided into five subcommittees, and Greta serves as Chair of Credentialing. In that leadership role, she and her committee are responsible for the credentialing, accountability, and coordination of those attending and volunteering during the National Peace Officers Memorial Service—an enormous undertaking requiring careful planning, attention to detail, and close coordination with numerous partners.

From her law enforcement career beginning in 1994, to her lodge leadership, decades of committee service, work honoring fallen officers at both the state and national levels, and her election to the NCFOP State Executive Board, Greta has established an extraordinary record of service to law enforcement and the Fraternal Order of Police. Her commitment has never been limited to holding a title; it has been demonstrated through years of showing up, accepting responsibility, doing the work, and serving fellow officers and their families wherever she is needed.