RALEIGH — Near the end of 2025, the co-chairs of the N.C. House Select Committee on Oversight and Reform sent letters to officials from both the City of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County related to crime and public safety.
The letters are all similar and were signed by state Reps. Jake Johnson (R-Polk), Brenden Jones (R-Columbus) and Harry Warren (R-Rowan).
Officials receiving the letters included Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Charlotte City Manager Marcus Jones, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden, Mecklenburg County Manager Mike Bryant, Mecklenburg County District Attorney Spencer Merriweather and Charlotte Area Transit System Interim CEO Brent Cagle.
“In recent years, Charlotte-Mecklenburg has experienced a documented increase in violent crime and public safety incidents, including high-profile and deadly attacks occurring on public transit and in public spaces,” wrote the committee co-chairs. “These incidents have raised serious concerns regarding law enforcement staffing levels, transit security, prosecutorial practices, and the City’s overall public safety strategy.”
The lawmakers noted the region’s “significant financial and policy commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the expansion of offices for equity and immigrant integration, and policies that limit or restrict cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).”
“The Committee is concerned that these priorities may be occurring concurrently with the defunding, de-prioritization, or restructuring of traditional law enforcement and public safety functions,” wrote Johnson, Jones and Warren.
“This inquiry seeks to understand whether Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s policy decisions, budgetary allocations, and operational practices are effectively addressing rising crime, or whether public safety has been subordinated to ideological initiatives at the expense of residents, transit users, and law-abiding communities,” the letter states.
The letter also includes a list requesting related communications, data and documents to be turned over to the committee no later than noon on Jan. 8.
The committee’s next meeting will be held on Jan. 22 at 9 a.m.
