Charlotte‘s new police chief warned that her department is facing critical staffing shortages, as North Carolina‘s largest city seeks to heighten security in the aftermath of high-profile crime.
“Right now, we’re down a significant number of officers, almost 200 officers,” said Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department Chief Estella Patterson, who was sworn into office earlier this month. The CMPD employed 1,641 officers in 2024.
“When you’re short like that, your employees are telling you we’re tired or running from call to call. We can’t take adequate vacation time. And because wellness is so important to me, it is crucial that we get our staffing levels,” she added during an interview with Spectrum Local News…