Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Police

For nearly a century and a half, police in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County have displayed tremendous courage and sacrifice in the execution of their duty, adapted to social and cultural changes within the American South, and increasingly embraced sophisticated methods and revolutionary advances in technology to meet the challenges posed by criminals and a violent culture. Images of America: Charlotte and Mecklenburg County Police highlights the rich history of two departments that consolidated in 1993 as the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department.

Author and local historian Ryan L. Sumner selected these images from a variety of sources, including the department's archives, the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, the families of current and retired officers, and the Charlotte Observer. This volume is adapted from Behind the Badge: Policing in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County, 1865-2009, a collaborative exhibit of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department and the Charlotte Museum of History that was curated by Sumner. This book is sponsored by the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Benevolent Fund, a nonprofit organization.