“Everybody doesn’t love the sheriff, everybody doesn’t agree with the sheriff,” McFadden said. “This is an ongoing fight.”
CHARLOTTE, N.C. โ Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden is speaking out for the first time since a judge dismissed a petition seeking his removal from office earlier this week.ย
The ruling came as McFadden faces challenges both in court and ahead of the upcoming primary election, which is less than 60 days away. McFadden described the effort to have him removed as election-season politics.ย
“This is the era of social media, and we should all understand that it is an election time and people are going to do whatever they need to do to seek these officers or remove these officers,” McFadden said on Live Impact News. “So we know it was an undermining tactic.”
The petition required approval from the district attorney, according to McFadden’s attorney. McFadden acknowledged that questions from constituents will likely continue despite the dismissal.
“Things are always going to linger. Everybody doesn’t love the sheriff, everybody doesn’t agree with the sheriff, so we understand,” McFadden said. “This is an ongoing fight.”
The sheriff said his tenure has been marked by controversy since the beginning.
“My fight began Dec. 3, 2018, 30 minutes after I was elected. I was targeted by ICE and immigration through an interview,” McFadden said. “So my entire career as the sheriff has been a battle, but through these battles, we became a better agency.”
McFadden said the challenges extend beyond him personally, affecting his family and staff members who face public questioning.
“It not only affects me. It affects my family,” McFadden said. “My staff members can’t go to the mall or go to the grocery store wearing a uniform or if they find out that they are working for the sheriff’s office, they get questioned by the public.”
The sheriff is also preparing for a hearing before the General Assembly next week. He said his office has produced all the requested documents for the committee.
McFadden maintained that the focus of the hearing should be on the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department rather than his office, as the sheriff’s office does not answer 911 calls or handle traditional law enforcement duties, such as domestic violence calls.
“This is maybe the time to have the conversation while we’re in Raleigh,” McFadden said, suggesting that if state leaders want expanded law enforcement services from his office, they should provide additional funding.
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