On Monday night, the Charlotte City Council voted 9-2 to ban CMPD from purchasing chemical agents such as tear gas for the next fiscal year. It does not prevent Charlotte police from using chemical agents for crowd control, they just can't buy them for one year. CMPD spent $103,000 on chemical agents last year.
The Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday it will remove the use of tear gas from its Use of Force policy.
According to a news release from the MCSO, the office “thought that it was prudent to take another approach in response to the pain, frustration and national outcry against police brutality.”
The MCSO said the use of chemical irritants like tear gas has been a standard for law enforcement but it will be remove from the office’s arsenal.
“I would rather have meaningful conversations and engagement that build relationships and bonds with the community so that tear gas never has to be used,” Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Garry L. McFadden said in the release. “Throughout the past two weeks I’ve heard the cries of the community and during the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, protecting our citizens is vital.”