Sources speaking to WBTV say more than half a dozen Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department officers have either been recommended for termination or have already quit after a text thread filled with racist content came to light. The discovery happened during an unrelated probe.
The messages, according to those sources, described a contest among some officers over who could stop the most Black drivers. They also included repeated uses of the n-word in discussions about force and about firing weapons at Black residents.
The thread surfaced as the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation examined officer Seth Elliott for alleged misuse of the Flock network. Court documents indicate Elliott is charged after he allegedly employed Flock Safety technology and other tools to assist someone connected to a drug investigation.
State probe into Flock misuse exposes officer messages
Investigators downloaded texts and additional data from Elliott’s phone and shared the material with Charlotte-Mecklenburg police. Officials then examined the communications more closely and found the thread in which officers made derogatory remarks about Black people, sources told WBTV. Flock’s technology has drawn wider scrutiny, including cameras reportedly installed near a children’s playground.
The department opened its own internal inquiry. Last week the involved officers appeared before an internal affairs independent chain of command review board, and a number of them were recommended for termination.
Any of those officers may still challenge the recommendations before the Citizens Review Board. Chief Estella Patterson holds the final authority on whether terminations go forward. The officers work across several divisions, among them North Tryon, Freedom, and University City, the unit where Elliott was based.
WBTV has not verified every name independently and is therefore not identifying all of the officers at this time. When a reporter called Elliott, he ended the call once the reporter identified himself. A follow-up text seeking comment also received no reply by the time of publication.
Elliott’s attorney, George Laughrun, later contacted the station. He said the defense would offer no comment except that it is preparing for the criminal case against Elliott on the Flock Safety misuse charge. Laughrun stated that Elliott resigned from the department more than a month ago.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police issued an email statement that neither confirmed nor denied the account reported by WBTV. The department declared that it “remains unwavering in its commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and service.” It added the exact wording: “We will not tolerate any behavior that contradicts our core values or jeopardizes the trust we have built with the community we serve.”
The statement further described residents as central to the department’s mission and cited a long record of building relationships that support public trust. It noted that during her first 100 days, Chief Patterson visited every unit to set clear expectations and stress ethical standards. Under her leadership, the department said it continues working toward excellence, accountability, and transparency in all its actions.
Published: Oct 14, 2026 07:45 am