CHARLOTTE — The North Carolina State Auditor found no evidence of improper activity by the City of Charlotte regarding the approval process or timing of its settlement with Lance Patterson.
The review was conducted after the city settled a lawsuit filed by Patterson, a former battalion chief with the Charlotte Fire Department and the husband of current Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson.
Patterson filed a lawsuit against the city in 2018, accusing Charlotte Fire of unfair promotion practices. An initial attempt to settle the lawsuit in 2022 fell apart due to a dispute over terms. The city agreed to pay $99,999 to Patterson in October.
The audit examined the city's actions in the settlement, particularly given the timing of CMPD Patterson's hiring.
The city announced Patterson's hire as police chief the month after the settlement agreement was reached in October. The audit reviewed this closeness in timing.
The audit stated, “The review did not find any evidence to suggest that the city acted improperly regarding the approval process or timing of its settlement with Patterson.”
It further noted, “while the review did not show evidence of improper activity by the City in this case, the City should continue to practice diligent compliance with applicable laws, policies and internal controls related to any pending and future settlements.”