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Years of racist text messages prompt resignations, possible firings of 6 Charlotte police officers

By
FOX Local
Crime and Public Safety
Published October 15, 2026 12:56 PM MST
Published October 15, 2026 12:56 PM MST
article

A Charlotte-Mecklenburg police officer is seen inside a patrol car ahead of Hurricane Florence in Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S., on Thursday, Sept. 13, 2018.  Photographer: Callaghan O'Hare/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The Brief

    • Six Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police Department officers are under investigation after internal affairs uncovered a series of racist and discriminatory text messages
    • Three officers have resigned, and three more are expected to be terminated pending Civil Service Board review.
    • The exchanges, authorities said, dated back years and included offensive language of racist, sexual and religiously biased remarks from multiple officers.

Six Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police Department officers are under investigation after internal affairs uncovered a series of racist and discriminatory text messages exchanged over several years, CMPD Chief Estella D. Patterson said Thursday. 

Three officers have resigned, and three more are expected to be terminated pending Civil Service Board review.

What we know:

Patterson said the case began after an officer was accused of misusing a Flock Safety license‑plate reader. During that inquiry, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation shared information with CMPD that led internal affairs to a private text thread containing racist, sexual and religiously biased messages. The exchanges, authorities said, dated back years and included offensive language and discriminatory remarks among multiple officers.

The chief described the conduct as "serious" and "deeply troubling," adding that the findings left her "especially pained and disheartened." She said she moved quickly once the messages surfaced, ordering a full internal investigation and convening independent chain‑of‑command hearings that unanimously recommended termination for the remaining officers. The Civil Service Board has the final authority to remove them.

Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Department

What they're saying:

Patterson emphasized transparency "within the limits of state personnel laws" and said CMPD has already contacted federal partners to review the case for potential civil‑rights violations. She also said the department will pursue revocation of the officers’ law‑enforcement certifications to prevent them from serving elsewhere.

Dig deeper:

To determine whether the misconduct extended beyond the text thread, CMPD audited the officers’ body‑worn camera footage, traffic stops, arrest records and external complaints. Patterson said those reviews will continue as the department works to ensure the issue is not systemic.

Patterson maintains, CMPD remains committed to accountability and vowed to "act swiftly and decisively" whenever misconduct is discovered.

The Source: This story was written with information provided from a news conference held by the Charlotte Mecklenburg Police Chief. This story was reported from Orlando.

Crime and Public SafetyNorth CarolinaNews