One of the Country’s Possibly Worst Sheriffs and His Department has Hampered Gun Ownership

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden uses racially offensive language, fires longtime staff for little or no reason, delays firearm permits and promotes himself and his own interests rather than his staff. 

Mecklenberg County is the largest county in North or South Carolina. It has more than 1 million residents, measures 546 square miles and has six townships including Charlotte, the 17th largest city in the country. 

With nearly 1,100 employees, McFadden runs the largest law enforcement agency in either Carolina. 

McFadden recently called one of his white deputies a “cracker” and a black deputy the N-word. Both were senior officers within his department. 

“That white cracker captain is better than the other seven captains upstairs,” McFadden said. “I got Chief Collins. I don’t know who that n—-r is.” 

The sheriff’s comments were secretly recorded by a member of his staff during a meeting in 2021. Just last week, McFadden said he was sorry for making the racist comments.

“It doesn’t matter who recorded or how many years ago it was recorded. Today, I want to apologize for that language,” the sheriff stated in a video press release. “Held to a higher standard – that’s the office of the Sheriff. But you must understand that I am human and I’m not perfect and I will make mistakes.”

The North Carolina Sherrif’s Association issued their own letter last week in disgust at what the sheriff said, and is investigating McFadden’s racist comments.

• The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association (the Association), representing all 100 sheriffs in our state, is aware of racially charged comments allegedly made by Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden that shock the conscience. The comments made on the recording are inflammatory, racially derogatory, insulting and offensive.

• The Association believes sheriffs are and should continue to be held to the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, principles, and morals and should serve their communities regardless of race, color, national origin, religion or sex. Racially charged comments certainly do not meet those standards.

• The preamble of the Association’s Constitution creates an Association that establishes “bonds of confidence, respect and friendship” among the sheriffs across the State, maintains peace for North Carolina citizens and residents, and seeks to gain the public’s confidence through the “courtesy, honesty, integrity and dependability of the sheriffs of North Carolina.”

• Therefore, pursuant to the Association’s Constitution and Bylaws, the Association’s Executive Committee (governing board) voted unanimously today to inquire further into this matter.

“Not perfect” is a good way for Sheriff McFadden to describe himself. He is still reeling from the loss of three top staffers. Last week, McFadden fired his Human Resources Director and his Business Manager. Both were black women, and both accused McFadden of “fostering a toxic work environment.” 

McFadden’s Chief Deputy, Kevin Canty, resigned earlier this month. Canty accused McFadden of “running the agency into the ground” and that it “functions like a third-world dictatorship.”

The Sheriff’s own chaplain, Aileen Maddox, quit after 13 years because of the sheriff’s alleged racism. She now lives and works in Ohio. 

McFadden declined to answer or address Maddox’s allegations, but he recently spoke about racism during a graduation ceremony for his deputies. 

“If you believe I’m racist, you need to talk to me,” McFadden said. “If you believe I’m racist, you need to talk to the kids who come and see me. If you believe I’m racist, talk to the people who know me.”

Abuse of Power 

Canty certainly knows McFadden. McFadden’s hired Canty as his Chief Deputy last year, but Canty quit within months. Canty, too, accused his former boss of racism, verbal abuse and other misconduct. 

Canty, who has been a cop for more than 33 years at four agencies, told the Charlotte Observer he has “never witnessed such dysfunction.”

Some of Canty’s criticisms were listed in a two-page report, part of which was published by the newspaper. The person he is addressing in his correspondence is Sheriff McFadden. 

• “I’ve witnessed firsthand your denigrating and unprofessional comments to your Command and Executive staff.” 

• “I’ve witnessed your blatant insecurities on full display as you accepted credit for all success and deflected blame and attributed all issues and problems to the staff. I’ve also witnessed you lie effortlessly, then throw a temper tantrum and attack the messenger when confronted with evidence that proved you lied.” 

• “The way you conduct yourself should be embarrassing to you and you frankly should be ashamed of yourself. The citizens of Mecklenburg County deserve better, as do the employees of the MCSO.” 

• “I have watched you marginalize and retaliate against not only me, but against anyone who dares to push back against your endless onslaught of insults and condescending language.” 

• “I also watched as you circumvented the Office of Professional Conduct (OPC) and discarded the results of internal investigations if you disliked the results, or if the employee was someone you liked. I’ve also witnessed you weaponize OPC to target employees you have a personal dislike for, instead of using that division to conduct objective, unbiased investigations of allegations of violations of policy and procedure.” 

• “I have also heard you use (racist) language, conduct beneath the dignity of the office of Sheriff.”

“It is my hope that one day you will develop the emotional maturity and introspection that real leaders possess. Sadly, I doubt it will happen, and the good men and women of MCSO and the citizens of Mecklenburg County will suffer for it,” Canty said in the close of his letter. 

Canty was not available for an interview. 

Firearm Permits  

One of the most serious allegations against Sheriff McFadden involves firearms. 

Gun Owners of America, Gun Owners Foundation, Grass Roots North Carolina, Rights Watch International and three individuals sued the Sheriff’s Office in November 2022, alleging that the agency violated state law when issuing permits to carry arms. 

The lawsuit did not allege that the Sheriff’s Office violated North Carolina law but stated that there were delays that violated the United States Supreme Court’s 2022 case, New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen.

The suit was settled last year. 

“The settlement ends this lawsuit and allows MCSO better to serve the citizens of Mecklenburg County. It remains MCSO’s intention and Sheriff McFadden’s expectation that MCSO continue to comply with all statutory obligations related to concealed handgun permitting. Sheriff McFadden wishes to commend his hard-working staff for remaining in compliance with all statutory requirements regarding concealed handgun permitting,” the Sheriff’s Office said in a press release. 

Of course, the Sheriff’s Office never addressed the allegations contained in a story by a local television station, WCNC Charlotte, which found the Sheriff’s Office “has a longstanding system in place that prevents people living in sobriety from legally concealing their guns when in public.”

When someone applies for a gun permit in North Carolina, their local law enforcement officials have the legal right to review their mental health. 

According to a document obtained by the local television station, if records show that the applicant has attended Alcoholics Anonymous or Narcotics Anonymous meetings, “no matter the year,” the Sheriff’s Office will deny their gun permit. 

“Denial records obtained by WCNC Charlotte through a public records request show MCSO has cited unlawful use or addiction as cause for denials in hundreds of cases over the last decade, spanning two sheriffs,” the news story states. “By depriving people of concealed carry, you’re depriving them of their Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms.”

Sheriff McFadden declined to comment, but one of his spokespersons answered questions about this case. 

“Sheriff Garry McFadden supports the Second Amendment rights; however, the sheriff must also abide by laws applicable to MCSO operations,” Public Information Manager Sarah Mastouri said in a statement last week. “Addiction to alcohol or drugs is a legal prohibitor to the issuance of a concealed handgun permit. MCSO’s permitting staff must abide by legal requirements for issuing concealed handgun permits. Therefore, MCSO considers every application as a unique set of data to be carefully evaluated. Indication of an applicant’s addiction to alcohol or drugs could include, without limitation, a medical history of addiction or participation in programs, such as Alcohol Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous. Less than 10% of MCSO’s concealed handgun permit denials are ever appealed, and a vast majority of those denials are upheld by the District Court.”

One local man who fought the Sheriff’s Office prohibition of his firearm license eventually won the case, although he spent more than $7,000. 

Sherrif’s History

McFadden became the 45^th Sheriff of Mecklenburg County on Dec. 4, 2018, after serving 36 years with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. He was reelected in 2022. 

McFadden’s official bio states that he is a graduate of the Johnson C. Smith University, a historically black Presbyterian university located in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

“Notably, he was named Charlotte’s Citizen of the Year in 2015 and recognized by President Barack Obama for his work on the 21st Century Policing Initiative and the ‘Cops and Barbers’ program,” his bio states. “His unconventional methods and deep community ties helped him solve hundreds of murders, achieving one of the highest solve rates in CMPD history. This success led to his starring role in the television series ‘I Am Homicide,’ which highlighted his major cases, and his ongoing appearance in ‘Homicide City’ on the Investigation Discovery (ID) network. His contributions have been featured on national platforms like America’s Most Wanted, The First 48, The Justice Files and People magazine.”

McFadden and his wife, Cathy G. McFadden, have been married for more than 33 years. 

Sheriff McFadden did not return calls or emails seeking his comments for this story. 

The story is courtesy of the Second Amendment Foundation’s Investigative Journalism Project. Visit saf.org for more details about the project or to make a donation to support it.