Sunday, March 24, 2019

Observer Editorial Board Takes Aim At Garry McFadden

You've likely been thinking it will be a cold day in hell when Cedar Posts agrees with anything the Charlotte Observer Editors say. Well must be chilly just past the gates of hell because that day has arrived. Just short of saying "stay in your lane bro" the Observer takes issue with McFadden's race baiting blame game.

From The Charlotte Observer Sunday March 24, 2019

In case you haven’t noticed, Mecklenburg County: There’s a new sheriff in town, and he’s brought his ego with him. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but this much is certain: It’s going to be a bumpy patrol ride.

So it was this week with Mecklenburg Sheriff Garry McFadden, who had a tense meeting with the Cornelius town board on Monday regarding a February 17 operation in which 12 radar-equipped deputies pulled people over on Jetton Road near Lake Norman. The operation was unusual in that the Sheriff’s Office doesn’t often take the lead on speeding operations, and because McFadden didn’t notify the town and its police officers in advance of this one. It was not an improper use of county resources, however, to ticket drivers going 10 mph over the speed limit on a Mecklenburg road.

McFadden could have simply said that to the Cornelius board. Instead, he made the meeting something bigger. McFadden told commissioners that he believed “privilege” was at play in their questioning, the Observer’s Ely Portillo reported. Cornelius is a predominantly white and moderately affluent town, and Jetton Road leads to wealthy subdivisions like the Peninsula.

McFadden, along with Chief Deputy Rodney Collins, had another message for everyone: The Sheriff’s Office isn’t just going to be conducting traffic operations moving forward. It also will expand its investigative footprint and may take on other enforcement roles normally ceded to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. “We’re more visible because our sheriff is out front,” Collins said. “He’s very visible.”

If any of that is a surprise, then you haven’t been paying attention to Garry McFadden. The former Charlotte homicide detective and reality show star has long been bold, brash and unafraid of the nearest microphone. He also expressed as a candidate that the Sheriff’s Office should be more visible and take on larger problem-solving roles. Those are worthy goals, and there can be value in rattling the law enforcement status quo. McFadden also has fulfilled a campaign promise of ending Mecklenburg’s participation in the controversial 287(g) immigration program, and some will cheer his standing up to town commissioners, who appeared at least a little haughty in calling the urban sheriff on the carpet.

Still, Cornelius officials had a legitimate beef about McFadden springing the traffic operation on their town without notice or coordination. McFadden could have deftly handled their questions instead of taking a Trump-like posture and lobbing the flammable accusation of privilege into the meeting.

Relationships matter, and the county functions more smoothly when its agencies and municipalities are working together. And while swinging elbows might be satisfying, it often results in the battles you pick taking up an outsized part of your time. No one in Mecklenburg is served well if the sheriff spends his resources and political capital cleaning up after his ambitiousness.

We hope McFadden finds a balance of pursuing a bold vision without unnecessarily breaking glass and alienating others along the way. Mecklenburg voters didn’t just elect him to be visible. They elected him to be effective.

Cedar's Take: Mecklenburg County Sherriff's role is historically low profile and for generations was limited to court process and jail. It wasn't so long ago MCSO deputies were unarmed and their cars where void of light bars. 

Given the issues South Carolina has with elected law enforcement officials you'd think Sherriff McFadden would follow suit and not make waves. But McFadden apparently views his job as Chief of a law enforcement department and not bureaucratic figure head of a civil process server.

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow! Maybe instead of stirring up this mess, he should try to fix the jail situation that is so out of hand. 2 hour wait times to take someone in and process them? Every time the MCSO gets into trouble writing tickets who do you think they call? That's right, CMPD. Deputy fighting one? Deputy run across a DV or some other non-traffic related situation? HEre comes CMPD to the rescue. Why do you think they are "patrolling" the affluent areas? If they try that shit in the 'hood they would end up hurt or worse. Gary had better be careful who he pisses off or his deputies may be the ones who reap the rewards.

Anonymous said...

So he is showing favoritism for one group Hospanocs reference emd 287g) and distain for another (rich white folk).
He may not have meant it that way, but I can be interpreted as such. Way to open yourself up to lawsuits there skippy.

Anonymous said...

McFadden is a dumbass a graduate of the Rodney "King" Monroe skool of law enforcement an public service.

Those fools at MCSO get some new toys and made the really dumb choice to try it out on the wrong people.

Now they've got a court date and guess what the citizen will not come to court but his/her attorney will and so will a MCSO deputy to waste his day until his case is called well behind 100 others.

Could have just issued warnings

Anonymous said...

How many disgraceful overweight slugs are on the MCSO staff. It's pitiful to see them walking around the courthouse/jail with their enormous guts hanging out. Completely unprofessional looking and an embarrassment to the County. They hire the leftover CMPD scraps that can't make the cut. Those deputies wouldn't last a day on the road in Metro or anywhere else for that matter.

Anonymous said...

Shut up about Metro. Mike Blee and Pat Diekhaus work there and they are both worthless fatty fucks.

If you want to rock n roll, then come over to N. Tryon. We have all the spics living here.

Anonymous said...

Hey everyone, Braxton Winston is on the case for the Beatties Ford Shooting cover-up! Watch out!

https://www.wsoctv.com/

Anonymous said...

I just want to know if Wendy Kerl was ordering a double whopper when the shooting occurred?

Sgt Whit Neal Retired said...

To the person who wrote the whopper comment, this is totally out of line. An officer involved shooting is very stressful for the officer and comments like yours just add more stress. You need to lay-off and support fellow officers.

Anonymous said...

The Whooper comment was way out of line. Seriously. How about showing a little support.

Anonymous said...

yea sure. you can talk about us at the mcso being fat but if we talk about you eating whoppers then we are the bad guys. cmpd are hypocrites .

Anonymous said...

Wow grow up. Someone was shot. Not really the same thing now is it. Get a life

Anonymous said...

Brother, and yes you are my brother if you are law enforcement with ANY agency. Whoever posted the stupid comment about MCSO has the maturity level of an 8 year old. But please don’t personally attack a fellow officer who was just involved in an OIS. Peace Out and Be Safe

Anonymous said...

Thank God Sheriff Garry is there to fix all the problems with MCSO. ������

Anonymous said...

Niggas, fuck you. You killed that wrong man, and you have that token up here lieing about the shootin. MSCO is in good hands now. CMPD is about fall in line, once we get our peoples in the the right places.

Anonymous said...

Blah blah blah...another day...another mother fucker who can’t listen to simple commands... what part of “drop the weapon” confused him?

SteveN said...

(Quote) "Niggas, fuck you. You killed that wrong man, and you have that token up here lieing about the shootin. MSCO is in good hands now. CMPD is about fall in line, once we get our peoples in the the right places." (End Quote). Bad grammar or no, I can tell you this. CMPD FINALLY got the WRONG person (Monroe) out of the right place after WAY too long. That one worthless fuck did more to screw up the Department than anything else. He's probably thanking his lucky stars that Kerrick didn't push the civil suit thing, or everyone (who didn't know already) would have seen what a conniving moron he was when he was dragged kicking and screaming into the witness chair. I didn't know Chief Putney (aside from seeing him here and there), so I cannot comment on his career in general........but he's tons better than that stuffed-shirt token he replaced. THAT guy left bodies (figuratively speaking) lying on the ground everywhere he went.

SteveN said...

Ditto on protesting the "Whopper" comment. OIS. Let it pass. By the SAME token, enough with taking shit out on deputies in general. Bitch at McFadden all you want. He's a politician now making political maneuvers. It's open season. But stop with hitting deputies. Would YOU guys want to work at the jail??? Hell.....at least we got to drop prisoners off and wash our hands of them.......(well....unless the jail nurse didn't make you take them to CMC for a hangnail or something.........). The deputies had to hang out with them.

And Jesus, Cedar Post.....your 'prove I'm not a robot' software is getting fucking annoying. How about I click on the proper object and let it go at that instead of you putting ANOTHER object I'm supposed to click on into the same square 3 or 4 more fucking times? Now STOP it!

Anonymous said...

I give a 50/50 chance there is no officer body cam video.