CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mecklenburg County swore in its first new sheriff in seven years early Monday morning in uptown Charlotte.
Irwin Carmichael will serve as the 44th sheriff of Mecklenburg County. He was sworn in just after 6 a.m. during a ceremony at the county courthouse.
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Carmichael told Channel 9 one of his priorities will be letting the community know about the good things that are happening.
"Highlight the things we're really doing right. Close to where we were seven years ago -- close to 3,000 inmates. We're under 1,500 today," he said.
Carmichael was elected last month to succeed retiring Sheriff Chipp Bailey.
Carmichael joined the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office as a deputy in 1986.
New sheriffs in Anson, Iredell counties
Anson County also has a new sheriff Monday.
Landric Reid was sworn in to replace Tommy Allen Monday morning, becoming the county's first African-American sheriff.
Allen was Anson County's longest serving sheriff.
In Iredell County, Darren Campbell was sworn in Monday as sheriff also.
Campbell said one of his top priorities is tougher penalties against repeat offenders.
"That's one of the things I want to target with the district attorney's office, to make sure we get the violent offenders targeted and in jail," Campbell said.
Campbell is replacing Phil Redmond, who announced his retirement in the spring but dealt with a sexual harassment lawsuit which cost one deputy his job.
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