North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police Endorses Pat McCrory for Governor | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Cary, N.C.     During the 23rd Biennial Conference of the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) held in Asheville, the delegates attending voted overwhelmingly to endorse Pat McCrory for his second term as Governor. The delegates attending listened to both candidates and asked questions that were important to law enforcement officers across the state before making their endorsement.

    "We are proud to give Pat McCrory our strongest endorsement for a second term as governor of North Carolina because he has been a true friend to the entire law enforcement community during his first term, and we know he will continue to lead on law enforcement issues in his second," said Randy Hagler, president of the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police. "Whether it is establishing the Blue Alert System to find cop killers, ensuring the children of fallen officers can go to college free of charge or pushing for more resources to end backlogs at the State Crime Lab, Governor McCrory has shown he is fighting for law enforcement every day."

    "I want the law enforcement community in the state to know that North Carolina supports you and I support you," said Governor Pat McCrory. "This endorsement comes with a heavy burden of responsibility that I do not take for granted. I am honored to have the support of the brave men and women of the Fraternal Order of Police, and will continue to fight for the law enforcement community each and every day."

    The FOP is comprised of over 6,000 law enforcement officers throughout the state of North Carolina.

    Governor McCrory has also received the endorsement of the North Carolina Troopers Association.



    Governor McCrory established a 'Blue Alert System,' similar to silver and amber alerts, to aid in the apprehension of suspects who kill or inflict serious bodily injury on a law enforcement officer. (WITN, 7/21/2016)

    Governor McCrory signed a bill which establishes a clear legal process for the release of law enforcement video, which balances privacy, transparency and public safety. (US News & World Report, 7/13/2016)

    The Governor's Crime Commission supported local jurisdictions with $5 million in matching grants for body cameras. (News & Observer, 4/23/2016)

    Governor McCrory signed a bill to untie the hands of law enforcement officers and stop policies of non-cooperation among law enforcement agencies by ending sanctuary cities in North Carolina: "McCrory signs bill outlawing sanctuary cities in NC" (WRAL, 10/28/2015)

    Governor McCrory has increased pay for correctional and highway patrol officers in North Carolina: "State troopers and correctional officers also would see salary help." (The Associated Press, 8/26/2015)

    Governor McCrory signed a bill to ensure the children of fallen or totally disabled law enforcement officers and first responders can go to college tuition free: "Gov. Pat McCrory signed a bill into law Friday extending the tuition waiver to cover children whose legal guardians were law enforcement officers, firefighters or rescue squad workers killed or totally disabled in the line of duty." (Time Warner Cable News, 10/30/2015)

    Instead of a political appointee, Governor McCrory hired former law enforcement officer and professional to lead the State Bureau of Investigation who will be a strong partner for law enforcement around the state and ensure the agency is independent and free of politics (WNCN, 4/13/2016)

• Governor McCrory established the North Carolina Mental Health and Substance Use Task Force to develop strategies "to improve the lives of citizens with mental illness and substance use disorders." (ABC11, 7/15/2015)
• North Carolina is investing $20 million to implement the task force recommendations, including the expansion of specialty treatment courts like drug and veteran courts, mental health first-aid training and tools to combat the heroin and opioid epidemic like Naloxone. (WRAL, 6/27/2016)
• Governor McCrory signed a bill to widen access to the life-saving drug, naloxone, to prevent and reverse overdoses of heroin and prescription painkillers (News & Observer, 6/20/2016)

    Governor McCrory's administration has fought underage drinking: "Addiction is one of the issues that the governor has stressed since taking office. He called for the report at an event in Raleigh marking the one-year anniversary of a program to deter underage drinking. Called Talk it Out N.C., the program has been run by the state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission." (Raleigh News & Observer, 10/1/2015)

    Governor McCrory has made school and student safety a priority, establishing the Center for Safer Schools and increasing penalties for illegally passing a school bus. Now NC has the 11th safest schools in the country. (WUNC, 3/20/2013; Jacksonville Daily News, 8/25/2013; Ranking of the Best And Worst School Systems, Wallet Hub 2016)

    Governor McCrory funded appropriate use-of-force training and sexual assault investigator training for state and local law enforcement. ("Appropriations Act of 2015," House Bill 97, North Carolina General Assembly)

• Upon taking office, Governor McCrory's proposed 2014-2015 budget pushed for expanded funding for the state crime lab, "providing $500,000 for more equipment and $3.1 million over the next year for to enhance DNA analysis" (WRAL, 3/20/2013)
• Governor McCrory pushed for additional resources for a Western Crime Lab in his 2015 State of the State address (State of the State Transcript, 2/4/2015)
• Governor McCrory has since pushed for additional positions at the state crime lab to reduce backlogs (WXII, 3/6/2015)
• Governor McCrory has emphasized pay raises for hard-to-fill positions: "the governor emphasizes improving pay for certain teachers and targeting state employees in hard-to-fill or dangerous law enforcement positions." (The Associated Press, 3/8/2015)
• Governor McCrory's proposed 2016-2017 budget included $3.6 million for personnel at the State Crime Lab to reduce case backlogs and to finally open the Western Crime Lab (WRAL, 4/22/2016)
• Governor McCrory increased funding for modernization and improved operations of the operations of the state's court system. ("Appropriations Act of 2015," House Bill 97, North Carolina General Assembly)
• Governor McCrory established and expanded veteran treatment courts to better help veterans who run into trouble with the law get back on their feet. (News & Observer, 5/23/2015)

• Signed Caylee's Law to make it a crime not to report a missing child in a timely manner. (WRAL, 5/7/2013)
• Increased penalties for meth production. North Carolina is the #7 state in the country for meth lab busts. (WRAL, 2/20/2014)
• North Carolina ranks #8 in the country when it comes to human and sex trafficking. Governor McCrory signed a bill to increased penalties for sex traffickers, and provide safe haven for its victims. (WECT, 4/2/2013)
• Signed Kilah's law to increase the penalties for convicted child abusers. (Press Release: Office of the Governor, 4/24/2013)
• Signed Burt's law to improve group home safety, requiring someone who witnesses a group home resident being sexually assaulted to report it. (Press Release: Office of the Governor, 5/26/2015)
• Governor McCrory's Crime Commission is fighting to reduce violent crime across North Carolina (Time Warner Cable News, 8/5/2016)
• Governor McCrory signed the Iran Divestment Act of 2015 and rejected the Obama administration's demand that North Carolina lift its state-imposed sanctions on Iran (Press Release: Office of the Governor, 4/26/2016)
• Governor McCrory opposed the relocation of Syrian refugees to North Carolina until the FBI can ensure thorough background checks are conducted (Charlotte Observer, 11/16/2015)

• Contact: The Pat McCrory Committee
•     media@patmccrory.com