Calls grow for change after report about racist CMPD texts
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CMPD's headquarters in Uptown. Photo: Ashley Mahoney/Axios
Community leaders and legal experts are calling on Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief Estella Patterson to make changes after six officers were cited for termination and others resigned following a racist text thread scandal, our news partners at WBTV report.
Driving the news: The texts show officers competing and bragging about pulling over Black residents, according to sources who spoke to WBTV investigative reporter David Hodges.
- Sources speaking on condition of anonymity said there were also numerous uses of the N-word related to use of force and discharging firearms at Black residents, WBTV reported.
- The text messages were reportedly discovered while the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation was investigating Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer Seth Elliott for misuse of the Flock network, and the texts were downloaded from his phone.
- WBTV said it had not independently confirmed the names of every officer involved, so it is not naming them all at this time.
By the numbers: CMPD data reported to NC CopWatch shows that through May 31, 2026, 56% of traffic stops by CMPD officers were of Black drivers and 83% of searches involved Black drivers.
- NC CopWatch is a project by social justice organization Forward Justice that collects data from the State Bureau of Investigation.
What they're saying: "The disparities are horrible," defense attorney Tim Emery told WBTV.
- The allegations of the racist text thread are the latest concern for some community leaders who are calling on Patterson to take action and make changes at CMPD to force racist officers out of the department and improve processes to prevent these types of incidents in the future.
- "My fear is that this is the tip of the iceberg," Emery said.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP president Corine Mack is calling for the officers to be fired and reported to the North Carolina Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission to potentially keep them from working in law enforcement in the future.
- "I'm hoping [Patterson] puts a recommendation that every one of these officers are decertified so they can't go to some other police department and do further harm," Mack told WBTV.
- Mack said the department also needs a better vetting system to look at the psychological and spiritual thinking of its officers.
Emery said the department needs new policies and protocols to safeguard against racism.
- "One of those ought to be that we have access to all your social medias to make sure you aren't posting racially biased things, displaying racial animus in your social media," Emery said.
In an emailed statement to WBTV, CMPD neither confirmed nor denied the details the station reported.
- "The Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) remains unwavering in its commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and service. We will not tolerate any behavior that contradicts our core values or jeopardizes the trust we have built with the community we serve," the statement reads.
What's next: According to Emery and defense attorney Brad Smith, the officers' past and present cases should be scrutinized and, in some cases, dismissed.
- According to the attorneys, the texts could raise credibility questions requiring disclosure in cases involving those officers.
- CMPD is holding its quarterly safety report Thursday morning, and Patterson is expected to attend.