Sheriff McFadden issues apology on leaked audio: ‘I am not perfect and I make mistakes’
Sheriff Garry McFadden issued an apology on Thursday for his “language,” following release of an audio recording in which he made disparaging remarks about his staff.
McFadden gave his apology Thursday in a minute-long video and said it was in response to recent news reports.
“Held to a higher standard, that’s the office of the sheriff,” McFadden said. “But you must understand that I am human, and I am not perfect and I will make mistakes.”
In an undated audio recording of an apparent meeting with Black staff, McFadden disparaged staff members and said he would never trust them. He referred to a “white cracker captain” and said he couldn’t trust him, but that he was better than seven Black captains. Former employees of McFadden also have alleged that the sheriff has told Black employees they have a “plantation mentality.”
The recording was released by Kevin Canty, the former chief deputy in the sheriff’s office who recently resigned and accused McFadden of abusing his power.
Canty said when he tried to address concerns during a meeting with the sheriff, McFadden asked him to name five times he had insulted staff. Canty said he told the sheriff every time the executive team met.
Canty said it’s “the norm,” and that staff members have had to go to therapy, missed sleep, or are afraid to come to work because of McFadden.
The former chief deputy said he heard complaints about the sheriff while working as a special agent for the State Bureau of Investigation, overseeing the Charlotte region. He said he also heard McFadden refer to SBI Director Bob Schurmeier as a “cracker.”
The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association said in a statement last week that it was aware of McFadden’s “racially charged comments” that “shock the conscience.” It said the association planned to inquire into McFadden’s comments after a unanimous vote of its board.
The association issued a statement late Thursday afternoon saying executive committee members met with McFadden Thursday, expressed displeasure with his comments, “and made it clear that those comments do not represent the views of the sheriffs of North Carolina nor of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association.”
“Sheriff McFadden, both in the meeting and publicly, has apologized for those comments,” the association statement said, “and the Executive Committee on behalf of the Association acknowledges his apology.”
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police criticized McFadden in 2021 and shared anonymous letters from sheriff’s office employees, which alleged negligence as inmate attacks on detention officers rose.
The FOP’s letter said that McFadden called employees “slaves.”
McFadden said in the Thursday video that he was committed to running the sheriff’s office. He has declined or not responded to interview requests.
“But I’m still committed to this community, I’m still committed to the residents in the Mecklenburg County Detention Center, and I’m still committed to my staff,” McFadden said. “But I want you all to be patient with me, because I still have to run the largest sheriff’s office in North Carolina. And one of the largest detention center offices in North Carolina.”
McFadden also announced executive staffing changes at the sheriff’s office on Thursday. Four people were appointed to positions:
- Christopher Allen as interim chief deputy
- Shelby Jones as the chief of staff
- Shanta Williams as interim director of human resources
Andrey Melkonyan as director of business operations
This is developing story. Check back for updates.
This story was originally published November 14, 2024 at 2:03 PM.
