CHARLOTTE — The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office transferred 209 inmates to Mecklenburg County Detention Center North, also known as Jail North, on Thursday to alleviate overcrowding at Mecklenburg County Detention Center Central.
Four pods are now in operation at Detention Center North following the transfer, according to the sheriff’s office. The move is part of ongoing efforts to reduce inmate density at the main Uptown jail.
Sheriff Garry McFadden closed Jail North in 2022 because of staffing and budget shortages. Before its closure, Jail North served as a facility for juvenile offenders.
McFadden had planned to reopen the northern facility for adult inmates to address capacity pressures at the Central jail location Uptown.
“I want the public to understand what my staff accomplished,” McFadden said in a news release. “While many people were sleeping, working or going about their daily lives, the men and women of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office were carrying out a difficult and demanding operation. We accepted this responsibility without seeking praise or recognition. Our staff simply did their jobs and they did them well.”
This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com and watch Eyewitness News for updates.
©2026 Cox Media Group





