- Editor's Note: This article was updated since posting to include a response from Gov. Josh Stein.
Pressure continues to grow for local and state officials amid growing concerns over public safety and rising crime in Charlotte.
Congressman Mark Harris, R-NC08, Congressman Pat Harrigan, R-NC10, and Congressman Chuck Edwards, R-NC11, authored a letter to Democratic Governor Josh Stein calling on him to deploy the North Carolina National Guard to the state’s largest city.
The letter cites an alarming growth in violent crime across the city, which gained national attention early this year after 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska was murdered on a Charlotte light rail.
“According to the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police, aggravated assaults involving knives and guns have risen from 86 in 2024 to 111 in 2025, and personal strong-arm robberies have increased from 26 to 31 in the same period,” the letter states. “These are not just numbers—they represent North Carolinians whose lives have been lost or shattered by violent crime.”
Gov. Josh Stein’s office responded to the letter Tuesday afternoon:
“Local, well-trained law enforcement officers who live in and know their communities are best equipped to keep North Carolina neighborhoods safe, not military servicemembers,” said Stein’s spokesperson in response to Carolina Journal. “That is why Governor Stein has been working to expand our ranks of well-trained law enforcement officers. He has called on the General Assembly to fund his plan to extend raises and recruitment and retention bonuses to law enforcement and make investments in mental health to keep everyone safe.”
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police sent a Stein a request similar request to the lawmakers’ in early October to Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles, Gov. Josh Stein, and President Donald Trump, requesting National Guard assistance over staffing shortages within the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.
“The Fraternal Order of Police has made clear that local officers are stretched dangerously thin. That reality is reflected in cases like Decarlos Brown Jr., who has been arrested 14 times, and Herbert Jordan, arrested 50 times in and around Charlotte, and a Charlotte teen arrested 111 times in two years and is still walking free,” the lawmakers said. “It is no wonder that our officers feel overextended. Until our judicial system ensures criminals are held accountable, there is a compelling case to deter violence through a visible, stabilizing presence such as the National Guard.”
The congressman acknowledged that deploying the National Guard isn’t a long-term fix for the rise in crime across the Queen City, but argued it’s a necessary short-term measure to protect innocent lives and stabilize the situation. They cite President Donald Trump’s deployment of the National Guard in Washington, D.C., as proof that the situation can be brought under control.
“When President Trump deployed troops under his lawful authority, the city promptly saw a reduction in crime, including 12 consecutive days without a single murder,” says the letter. “Similarly, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee partnered with the National Guard to protect the citizens of Memphis and saw remarkable outcomes: 850 violent criminals arrested, 175 illegal firearms confiscated, and 44 missing children returned safely to their families. These examples demonstrate that leadership and swift action can restore safety and stability when local resources are strained.”
The letter ends with a direct call to action from Stein for action to support local law enforcement and the people of Charlotte.
