The Charlotte, North Carolina, chapter of the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) is demanding that the National Guard be deployed ASAP.
In a letter sent this week to Charlotte’s city leaders, the FOP wrote that it intends to ask North Carolina Gov. Josh Stein and President Donald Trump to deploy the National Guard to the city.
“This request is due to the ongoing failure of city and police leadership to address the severe staffing crisis within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD), which we believe has led to a violence crisis in Charlotte,” the letter reads.
#BREAKING: In a letter to city leaders & the mayor, the CharMeck FOP is requesting the National Guard be sent to #Charlotte.
The FOP cites 15 homicides since the death of Iryna Zarutska.
“The current crime-fighting strategies and strained staffing are unsustainable.” @wsoctv pic.twitter.com/ffm8UkwyfF
— Hunter Sáenz (@Hunt_Saenz) October 3, 2025
The letter goes on to cite the tragic, gruesome light rail murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in late August and further notes that 15 additional people have been killed since.
The report also points out that ever since the local police released a violent crime report in July, there have been “nearly 25 homicides — including a mass shooting that left five additional victims injured.”
“Despite statistical progress, violent crime continues to be a daily reality in Charlotte,” the letter continues. “These reductions also conceal the significant human toll on each officer who made this possible. The need for immediate, tangible support has never been more urgent.”
“According to the National Fraternal Order of Police’s 2021 Critical Issues in Policing Survey, nearly 6,000 current and retired sworn officers responded that ‘staff shortages, an organizational stressor, are rated as more stressful than a colleague being killed or killing someone in the line of duty,'” the letter goes on.
Sadly, but not surprisingly, the request has also triggered pushback from local Democrats like Charlotte City Council member Malcolm Graham:
@JoeBrunoWSOC9 the last thing the city of Charlotte needs is the National Guard on the streets. As a local community we must block out the outside noise and do the work to ensure all citizens feel safe and secure. Window dressing won’t do it! #cltnews
— Malcolm Graham (@SenatorMGraham) October 3, 2025
Charlotte City Council member LaWana Mayfield has also come out against this idea.
“I do not support the National Guard invading our community and potentially targeting residents as they are doing in Chicago,” she told local station WCNC.
Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, meanwhile, indicated earlier in the week that she wasn’t interested in deploying the National Guard.
“The number of people that are engaged now to make this a safer city is from every part of our community. … So what I believe is that given the time that we have to work with the White House and the federal and other federal offices, that we will not need the Guard to come to Charlotte,” she said.
NEW: During an announcement about new security measures on public transit, Mayor Vi Lyles said the city does not need national guard deployed.
CMPD’s union asked for the guard in a letter published this morning. Read more about that request here: https://t.co/dsBhJoVCKZ pic.twitter.com/pbLAgBD4Uu
— Andy Weber (@andy_weber_tv) October 3, 2025
The move is even opposed by Rep. Alma Adams.
“I strongly believe deploying the National Guard in Charlotte as requested by the Fraternal Order of Police is unnecessary,” she said on Facebook. “Consistent public safety improvements in Charlotte by the Mayor and City Council have led to a significant reduction in violent crime and homicides in 2025.”
“I am confident that Mayor Lyles’ and the Charlotte City Council’s work with Governor Stein and the White House to meet all security and safety standards for the city is appropriate and underway, and I support their collaborative efforts to provide for public safety in Charlotte,” she added.
There has indeed been a slight decline in Charlotte homicides, but the numbers are still way beyond acceptable levels. The only good news for Charlotte and really all N.C. residents is that Gov. Josh Stein just signed a GOP-drafted law that’ll crack down on crime.
The law “prohibits cashless bail for some violent crimes and for most repeat offenders,” “limits the discretion magistrates and judges have in making pretrial release decisions,” “allows for the state chief justice to suspend magistrates,” and “requires more defendants to undergo mental health evaluations,” according to Fox News.
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V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.
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