Our Organization

Posted Population:

• 966,407 City of Charlotte
• 69,843 Unincorporated Mecklenburg County
• 1,036,250 CMPD jurisdiction

Total Square Miles:

• 314 City of Charlotte
• 546 Mecklenburg County
• 411 CMPD jurisdiction

CMPD Employees:

• 1,766 sworn
• 546 civilian
• 130 volunteers (Animal Care & Control had 449 volunteers)

About CMPD:

• CMPD is a diverse, progressive, service oriented, and technology-driven metropolitan police department whose goal is to make Charlotte one of the safest cities America.
• CMPD was formed in 1993 by merging the Charlotte City Police Department and Mecklenburg County Rural Police Department and has a rich history that dates back to 1880.
• The CMPD is organized into the Office of the Chief, which includes five (5) Service Groups (Administrative, Investigative, Patrol, Learning & Wellness, and Special) lead by Deputy Chiefs, one (1) Professional Accountability Bureau lead by a Major, and four (4) Divisions lead by civilian CMPD Assistant Directors - Public Affairs, Human Resources, Attorney’s Office, and Business Services
• The CMPD has four (4) Patrol Service Areas led by Majors and fourteen (14) Patrol Divisions led by Captains.
• CMPD employs the latest equipment and technology available in law enforcement including Latent Fingerprinting System, Body Worn Cameras, Property and Laboratory Information Management System, License Plate Reader, and Real Time Crime Center.

About Charlotte:

Charlotte is one of the largest cities in the U.S. and the largest city in North Carolina. Charlotte is known for its robust financial industry, particularly its status as a major banking center, a significant hub for sports, and for its large and well-maintained tree canopy, making the region a popular destination for recreation and outdoor activities.

• #1 largest urban area in the Carolinas
• 15th largest city in the US
• 2.9 million regional population
• 1.6 million labor force
• 117 people move to the region everyday
• 35% more racially diverse than the national average
• 1 in 6 residents born in another country
• 25-minute average commute time
• 20 miles of completed light rail, with an additional 25 miles planned by 2030

Living in Charlotte

• #1 city for people looking for an affordable place to live with great weather
• 226 days of sunshine annually
• 4 distinct seasons
• Home to 6 major & 2 minor league sports teams
• Birthplace of NASCAR, home to Charlotte Motor Speedway and NASCAR Hall of Fame
• 24+ nationally ranked universities within 200-mile radius
• 40+ regional colleges, universities, and community colleges
• 25+ museums, performing arts theatres and music venues
• 100+ festivals, cultural celebrations and international festivals held annually
• 35+ locally owned craft breweries

Source: Charlotte Regional Business Alliance

Fun Facts About the Queen City, Charlotte

1. Charlotte was named after Queen Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, consort of King George III. Any “Bridgerton” fans here? Originally, the city’s name was “Charlotte Town.” You’ll see nods to the royal in the form of crowns, street names, and statues like this one at the Charlotte Douglas International Airport.
2. The Uptown area is more than just the “downtown” area. In the mid-1700s, Uptown was the site of a trading path used by Indigenous Americans traveling from Georgia to Virginia. Settlers going into town said they were always “going up to town” due to a slight elevation. Now, it’s known as Uptown.
3. Charlotte is the site of the first documented discovery of gold in the US. In 1799, 12-year-old Conrad Reed found a 17-pound rock that turned out to be gold. His father sold it for $3.50, not knowing it was worth more than $3,000 at that time. This discovery marked the beginning of the North Carolina Gold Rush. You can visit Reed Gold Mine today.
4. President George Washington visited the city in May 1791. In a diary entry, he called the city a “trifling” place, meaning it was insignificant.
5. The Mint Museum was the first art museum established in North Carolina. It opened in 1936 with two locations — Randolph Road and the other in Uptown.
6. There are entire towns and the Cowans Ford Dam under Lake Norman. Long Island Cotton Mill and Mill Village were shut down in the 1950s for the formation of the lake. It’s the largest man-made body of fresh water in the state.
7. During the American Revolution, General Charles Cornwallis arrived in Charlotte with the British Army but was attacked by local patriots. When soldiers retreated, legend says they disturbed nests of bees and hornets, leading to quite the chase. Cornwallis called the city a “hornet’s nest of rebellion,” leaving Charlotte with the Hornet’s Nest nickname.
8. The Mecklenburg Declaration of Independence is said to be the first document in the country to claim independence from England. It was signed on May 20, 1775 — now known as Meck Dec Day.
9. The city’s most historic snowstorm happened in 1902. Charlotte got a total of 17.4 inches of snow that year. On Feb. 15, the city recorded 14 inches — the most to ever fall in a day from a single snowstorm in the city’s history.
10. Charlotte is the largest city in North Carolina. You probably already knew that. It surpassed Winston-Salem in population by the 1930 census and maintains that title today.
11. The city hosts Heroes Con every year. The annual comic book convention is one of the oldest and largest independent comic book conventions in the US.
12. In November 1959, Charlotte was home to the first Family Dollar. Now, the store has thousands of locations in 48 states. It’s now a subsidiary of the Dollar Tree.
13. Charlotte is the Pimento Cheese Capital of the World. Ruth’s Salads, based in Charlotte, produces 45,000 pounds of the staple — the most of any company in the southeast. Charlotteans eat it up. The other biggest market for the Carolina caviar is Raleigh-Durham.
14. Arguably the weirdest landmark in the city is the Firebird sculpture. Affectionately known as “The Disco Chicken,” it’s found outside the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art. It’s a 17-ft avian adored with more than 7,500 pieces of glass.
15. Charlotte’s oldest mascot is Homer with the Charlotte Knights. Homer’s birthday is April 15, 1989, and his official birthplace is the original Knights Stadium in Fort Mill, SC.

Source: CLT Today, 4/24/2024