State inspectors find repeated deficiencies at Meck County Jail, including supervision of inmates

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C — More than 1,200 people are in custody at the Mecklenburg County Detention Center known as Jail Central.

A new state inspection that Channel 9 obtained says deputies do not check on those residents enough.

It was conducted in June 2022 and cites, “The supervision rounds are not being conducted as required.”

“What the report will not show you is the complete activities inside the detention center,” said Sheriff Garry McFadden.

McFadden contends his staff is conducting rounds. But when unexpected incidents occur, staff members may not be within the state’s timeframe of at least two times within a 60-minute time.

Some families have also raised questions after their relatives in-custody death.

McFadden wouldn’t address those incidents specifically.

However, he told Channel 9, “I talk to these mothers to ensure them we’re doing a great job for their family members but the issue we have is that we are receiving people from our community mostly in bad health or with addiction problems.”

An employee, who did not want to be identified over fear of losing their job, says staffing shortages are still a critical concern.

“We’re supposed to do security checks on each other and we’re so shorthanded,” the employee told Channel 9. “And there’s so much going on that people aren’t going in doing their safety checks.”

As of Aug. 5, there were 110 open positions at Jail Central.

McFadden blames reports, such as the recent inspection, for making it harder to fill those holes.

“Always putting a bad light on our facility also hurts recruiting,” he said.

Earlier in 2022, state officials urged McFadden to move more than 400 residents to reduce the population to less than 1,000.

So far, 24 residents have been relocated.

The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office has a new contract with the U.S. Marshals and will only house 250 federal residents, which is down from 500.

McFadden must submit a plan of correction to state officials about the supervision by Aug. 6.

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