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CMPD names seven officers connected to racist-text investigation
Charlotte police identified seven officers linked to a probe that uncovered racist, sexist and religiously biased messages. Six faced termination proceedings; five resigned after being suspended, and a sixth later submitted his resignation, while one officer remains suspended pending review.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has identified seven officers connected to an investigation into racist text messages, including six who faced termination proceedings and former officer Seth Elliott, whose arrest over alleged misuse of police camera technology brought the messages to investigators’ attention.
CMPD released personnel records Monday under North Carolina’s public-records law. Chief Estella Patterson said last week that the messages, which date back several years, included racist, sexist and religiously biased content, including use of the N-word. The exact texts have not been made public, and the department has not established who initiated the conversations or how often each officer participated.
The six officers cited for termination on Oct. 9 were Mateo Juarez, Joseph Kelly, Tredan Maronic, Matthew Osborn, Alexander Larsen and Jeremiah Todman. Juarez, Kelly, Maronic and Osborn resigned between Oct. 11 and Oct. 15 after being suspended without pay. Larsen, who had been on paid administrative duty before his suspension, submitted his resignation Monday. Todman remains suspended without pay pending administrative review. Larsen and Todman are awaiting review by the Civil Service Board.
The investigation surfaced when the State Bureau of Investigation was examining whether Elliott, a former CMPD officer, improperly accessed Flock camera technology. Elliott was arrested July 29 on a charge of illegally accessing a government computer. He resigned Aug. 4 while CMPD’s administrative investigation was underway.
No criminal charges have been filed against the officers in connection with the texts. CMPD has said it has found no evidence so far that they violated anyone’s civil rights. The FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office are also investigating that question.
Rev. Corine Mack, president of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg NAACP, said the messages raised serious concerns regardless of which officer wrote particular comments. “You still were aware of not just racism, but intent to do harm to specific groups of people, and you took an oath to protect and serve,” Mack said.
Patterson said the department investigated whether the messages indicated officers were targeting Black drivers and found no evidence to support that. The inquiry and the separate review of police conduct continue.