CHARLOTTE — The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office has launched a reformed Traffic Unit dedicated to traffic enforcement and crash investigations throughout the county.
The specialized team of field deputies focuses exclusively on traffic stops and roadway safety.
Officially established on Oct. 16, 2024, the unit aims to reduce response times and alleviate workload pressures for other local agencies.
The initiative provides the sheriff’s office with trained personnel to manage traffic incidents that deputies previously handled as part of their general daily duties.
In its first full year of operation, the unit showed significant activity. During 2025, deputies conducted more than 3,500 traffic stops and made 31 arrests. Several of these stops resulted in drug charges and the seizure of firearms.
Preparation for the unit’s expanded role began in August 2025, when seven deputies underwent specialized training. The intensive, week-long program was led by state troopers and included both classroom instruction and hands-on exercises. Participants practiced marking accident scenes and using distance-measuring tools in simulated crash environments.
The training also certified deputies to use the state’s Traffic Records and Crash System, known as TraCS. This North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles application allows law enforcement agencies to document crash data electronically. The Traffic Unit received official authorization to begin using the TraCS system on Jan. 2, 2026.
Since gaining access to the reporting system, the unit has completed five crash investigations.
The assigned deputies are now able to report on-site, which officials say reduces call response times and minimizes reliance on the North Carolina State Highway Patrol or Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department for assistance.
Sheriff Garry McFadden said the specialized team supports broader crime-reduction efforts in the county. McFadden has led the sheriff’s office throughout the development of the unit.
“Creating a dedicated traffic unit allows us to better serve our community and our law enforcement partners,” McFadden said. “Our deputies already respond to traffic incidents daily, but this specialized unit will ensure we have trained, equipped personnel dedicated to keeping our roadways safer, responding faster when crashes occur, and supporting crime-reduction efforts. I anticipate the MCSO traffic team will continue to grow as this initiative evolves.”
Sheriff McFadden will formally announce the unit’s launch at a press event on Feb. 13, 2026. The event is scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Juvenile Detention Center Circle in Charlotte. Representatives from the North Carolina State Highway Patrol are also scheduled to attend.
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