In an exclusive interview with WCNC Charlotte, Oakboro town officials answer questions about closer of town’s police force.
OAKBORO, N.C. — Over a month since WCNC Charlotte began reporting on the low staffing of the Oakboro Police Department, town officials finally provided answers to WCNC Charlotte on Tuesday.
Town commissioner Brett Barbee and town administrator Georgia Harvey agreed to the interview because they said they wanted to provide transparency to their citizens.
Last week, WCNC Charlotte obtained an unsigned contract that identified the town was considering replacing its understaffed police force with resources from the Stanly County Sheriff’s Office. That contract was discussed before the July 29 meeting.
“In the situation we are in right now, we are assuring we had at least one law enforcement officer covering every shift,” Harvey said on Tuesday.
Right now, the town has only two police officers.
“We’ve had nine applicants since January 2024,” Harvey said. “Of that, one chose a different agency, four were hired, and four did not meet the qualifications.”
Since some of those officers have already left, the town could move forward with a plan to contract patrols and emergency responses from the sheriff’s office.
Even with coverage from the sheriff’s deputies, the town officials said they still plan to recruit new officers. However, it was not immediately clear when the police department could fully reopen.
“Nothing is forever,” Harvey said.
Harvey and Barbee said if they pursue the deputies, the town will actively search and look for officers. Harvey said she’s unsure of when the department would return, but hiring takes time. Right now the town is actively looking and recruiting to fill positions on their website.
WCNC Charlotte previously obtained audio of Barbee suggesting the department’s budget could be used for recreation.
“That’s a savings of $274,000 a year — that could be used to having a splash pad,” Barbee appeared to say in the audio recording.
In the exclusive interview Tuesday with WCNC Charlotte, Barbee tried to clarify that comment.
“That was one of many different things I could have chosen from,” he said. “Staff pay, streets, water and sewer infrastructure, I could keep going on and on.”
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
