Commissioners vote to terminate CMPD patrols in unincorporated areas

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The police department that responds when you call 911 could soon change.

Mecklenburg County commissioners voted Tuesday night to terminate the agreement with the city of Charlotte that provides police services to more than 60,000 neighbors in the unincorporated areas of Matthews, Mint Hill, Pineville, Cornelius, Huntersville, Davidson and Charlotte. The change would become effective July 1, 2018.

Some people in those areas have complained for years about long wait times when they call 911.

“Residents who do not live in the city or towns pay a separate law enforcement service district tax for police service,” the county said in a statement. “Preliminary estimates for FY18 cost of the service is $18.3 million, though the city has not made its budget request yet. The revenue goes to the city in return for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responding to emergencies and providing police services to those portions of the county.”

Jason Morris lives in an unincorporated part of Huntersville.

He said his home was broken into twice, and both times, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department was late, but Huntersville police arrived first.

"Huntersville police officers are out more than CMPD. They know the area; they know the shortcuts,” Morris said.

The county asked Charlotte to allow the Huntersville Police Department to patrol its own unincorporated area.
HPD would use $3 million in police tax collected from families there to pay for the service.

County Commissioner Jim Puckett said the city manager said “no” to the request.

"At the end of the day, I think it's just greed and them wanting to hold as much money as they can,” Puckett said.

He said that is what led to Tuesday’s vote to terminate the policing agreement with the city and renegotiate another plan, effective July 2018.

One idea is to take nearly $18 million collected from neighbors in the seven unincorporated areas and give that money to local police.

Mint Hill Police Chief Tim Ledford said he is open to having a conversation.

However, he said he wouldn’t have the staff and resources to police the 12-square miles of unincorporated land, even with the tax dollars.

"Not efficiently and not effectively,” he said.

Leaders in Cornelius said they want the chance to police their own unincorporated area and they said a meeting of town managers will take place to discuss options soon.

Charlotte city leaders said they were caught off guard by the Mecklenburg County commissioners’ vote.

Several city council members said this was the first they heard of the county's concerns.

Councilwoman Claire Fallon said CMPD is stretched thin and this will allow officers to focus on Charlotte.

“The county will have a problem,” Fallon said. “It's hard to recruit now. We'll offset the $18 million to some extent.”

Mecklenburg County statement:

The Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners voted April 18 to terminate the agreement with the City of Charlotte that provides police services to 60,000 residents of the unincorporated areas of the County. The change would become effective July 1, 2018.

Residents who do not live in the city or towns pay a separate law enforcement service district tax for police service. Preliminary estimates for FY18 cost of the service is $18.3 million, though the city has not made its budget request yet. The revenue goes to the City in return for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department responding to emergencies and providing police services to those portions of the County.

County Manager Dena R. Diorio says the decision requires a 14-month advance notification, and allows the County to explore other policing options for our residents.

The Board discussed the decision for about an hour before voting last night. 

Cox Media Group