CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Charlotte public safety took center stage Monday at a state House Oversight Committee hearing in Raleigh, where top city and county leaders were called in to answer lawmakers’ questions.
Mayor Vi Lyles, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson, the district attorney, and CATS leadership all testified. But it was Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden who ended up squarely in the hot seat.
Republicans framed the hearing as an effort to hold leaders accountable for public safety. For much of the meeting, the tone stayed calm and focused on gathering information.
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That changed when McFadden began his testimony. House Majority Leader Brenden Jones laid out why Republicans pushed for the hearing in the first place…