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Battle brews for Union County sheriff position

By Paul Boyd
By Paul Boyd

UNION COUNTY, N.C. — A quiet battle is brewing for sheriff of Union County even though Election Day is still more than a year away.

Private investigator Brian Crump is challenging Sheriff Eddie Cathey.

"I've talked to a lot of people that are ready for a change,” Crump said. “They want something new in Union County.”

The Union County Sheriff's Office is the 10th largest police agency in all of North Carolina with 308 employees.

Cathey has been in office since 2002 and said Union County has a low crime rate with surveys showing most residents are very satisfied with the department.

"We feel like we're very successful," Cathey said

Cathey told investigative reporter Paul Boyd that his agency has almost doubled in size since he started 15 years ago.

He said the department focuses on continuing officer education and training.

Cathey acknowledged that population growth will mean the need to request additional funding next budget year.

Crump said he worked five years in law enforcement including a stint with the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office.

Crump started his private investigations business in 2000 called Crump Investigations.

His slogan for the 2018 campaign is "It's time to give the sheriff's office back to the community."

"We need to get back out in the community. We need to start listening to our citizens," Crump said.

Cathey disputes the suggestion there's no community policing taking place.

"I don't know what that slogan means? We're about as reachable as any organization can be. We're out there every day," Cathey said.

Cathey said he wasn't planning on campaigning this early but accepted Channel 9's invitation to participate in an interview.

Cathey said he takes issue with a statement on Crump's website that says he was the lead investigator in some of the Charlotte area most notable cases" including Rae Carruth murder-for-hire investigation, George Shinn and the Loomis Fargo robbery.

"He wasn't the lead investigator on any of the things he says he was," Cathey said.

Crump acknowledged he worked as an investigator for the defense, not the prosecution but he insists he played a leading role in those cases.

"Well, when you're out doing most of the legwork, that's what I’d call the lead investigator absolutely," Crump said.

The Republican primary is scheduled for May 2018.

Crump said he plans to knock on 100,000 (doors) in the coming year, and asked Cathey to run an issues-based campaign.

"He’s a power-hungry man that will do anything get to re-elected. Period," Crump said.

"Try to pick out the truth. If they'll pick out the truth, then vote for who they think is telling the truth,” Cathey responded.

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