Charlotte police officers competed to see who could pull over most Black drivers, leading civil rights attorney says
Por Owen Scott — – World RSS Feed
Charlotte police officers competed to see who could pull over most Black drivers, leading civil rights attorney says
‘A badge should NEVER be a license for discrimination,’ the attorney wrote on social media
Owen Scott Wednesday 14 October 2026 12:40 BST
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Police officers in North Carolina competed to see who could pull over the most Black drivers, says a leading civil rights attorney citing reports.
Ben Crump, who has represented the families of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, as well as those affected by the Flint water crisis, alleged on Tuesday that the competition was detailed in a text messaging thread by officers with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD).
Crump, who made the remarks on X, also said that the officers with the CMPD had used “racial slurs” in their discussions about the use of force against Black people.
“A badge should NEVER be a license for discrimination!” he wrote. “These allegations call into question traffic stops and use-of-force incidents involving these officers!”
Crump’s post included a report from local news outlet WBTV, which reported on October 12 that the texts were uncovered amid an investigation by the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation into CMPD officer Seth Elliott.
open image in galleryElliott has been charged with illegally accessing a government computer after allegedly improperly using the surveillance system FLOCK Safety and the police database CJLEADS for “non-law enforcement purposes” on June 16, the police department says.
Text messages recovered from Elliott’s phone were turned over to the police department, with a review uncovering a text thread in which derogatory statements had been made against Black people, WBTV reports. That led police to launch their own investigation.
Sources confirmed to the outlet that six officers were cited for termination. Others allegedly involved in the controversy have already resigned.
In a statement obtained by WSOC-TV, the CMPD said that it does not tolerate conduct that contradicts the department’s values.
“The Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police Department (CMPD) remains unwavering in its commitment to uphold the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and service,” the statement read in part. “We will not tolerate any behavior that contradicts our core values or jeopardizes the trust we have built with the community we serve.”
open image in galleryReverend Corine Mack, the president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP, confirmed to the outlet that police Chief Estella Patterson informed her about the allegations over the phone.
“I don’t want to paint all of law enforcement with the same brush, but clearly, I’m concerned that you have bigots in uniform with state authority,” Mack said, “And unfortunately, they can cost a person their life.”
Amid the controversy, defense attorneys Brad Smith and Tim Emery have told WBTV that past and present cases should be re-examined.
“When you’ve got police officers on the force that are playing games and looking to pull people over because of nothing more than the color of their skin, they’re predisposed to believe and to investigate certain crimes that may not be occurring,” Smith said.
Emery told the outlet that the DA should weigh up whether cases in which the officers are implicated in the controversy should be frozen.
In 1972, the Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors must disclose information that could call the credibility of police officers or government witnesses into question.
The Independent has contacted the CMPD and George Laughrun, Elliott’s attorney, for comment.
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Breonna TaylorGeorge FloydFlint water crisisben crumpBrad SmithNorth Carolina
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