On October 3, 2022, Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden announced that the Sheriff's Office is ending regulatory stops for non-moving violations. Deputies will no longer initiate traffic stops for issues such as expired tags, malfunctioning tail lights, window tints, etc.
The CMPD is not considering changing its policy on regulatory traffic stops. These types of stops are a crucial investigative tool for vehicle safety and crime management. The overall number of traffic stops performed by officers over the past five years has declined with the exception of speeding enforcement. Around 37% of stops in 2021 were due to speeding, up from 25% of stops in 2017. Equipment and regulatory stops accounted for 43% of stops in 2021 and around 41% of stops in 2022. More than 70% of regulatory stops resulted in verbal and written warnings for equipment or regulatory issues this year.
CMPD officers continue to focus on public safety efforts to protect our community and the motoring public. They work hard to ensure that everyone operating vehicles on our roads is doing so in a safe and lawful manner.
CMPD Traffic Stops