The North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police (NCFOP), representing approximately 6,000 members, has endorsed Republican U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley. The union cited significant concerns regarding repeat offenders, current bail policies, and overall support for law enforcement as driving factors behind their decision.
This endorsement comes over a year after the fatal stabbing of Iryna Zarutska, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee, aboard a Charlotte light-rail train on August 22, 2025. Zarutska was attacked from behind with a knife by Decarlos Brown Jr., who has since been found incompetent to stand trial in both state and federal cases. Her death played a role in the passage of North Carolina’s Iryna’s Law, which aimed to tighten bail regulations and increase oversight of defendants deemed a public safety risk.
NCFOP President Chet Effler expressed frustration with what he described as a lack of accountability for repeat offenders. "We have lost accountability in this country," Effler stated. "There’s no reason to be soft on crime whenever you have victims who are going to be victims of those crimes for years to come."
Effler pointed to the case of Di-Quan Schafar Hunt, a Charlotte resident arrested at least nine times since 2023. Police arrested Hunt after he allegedly posted videos on social media depicting an unprovoked assault on a woman on July 30. Hunt's record includes multiple charges for assault, weapons offenses, and violations of domestic-violence protective orders.
Recent violent incidents across North Carolina have amplified the public safety debate. In Jacksonville, DoorDash driver Christen Phillips suffered severe injuries, including skull fractures and brain bleeds, after being attacked with a bat by Stanley Shockley during a delivery. Authorities stated Shockley followed Phillips after an incident at an intersection.
In Asheville, officials have addressed a series of deadly incidents involving young people, which they have characterized as retaliatory violence but have resisted labeling as gang-related. Effler criticized this approach, arguing for candidness about the nature of crime. "A criminal gang is a gang, I don’t care how old they are. You have to address it."
Further scrutiny of pretrial release policies was renewed when David Simpson, 29, was charged with murder hours after his release on bond. Effler contended that individuals with repeated arrests for violent offenses should not be permitted to cycle through the justice system without significant consequences.
In Winston-Salem, two people were killed and several others injured in a shooting that police said stemmed from a planned fight between juveniles near a middle school. This incident underscored concerns over violent disputes impacting communities statewide.
Effler also criticized former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper, Whatley's opponent in the Senate race, accusing him of supporting cashless bail policies during his governorship. A spokesperson for Cooper's campaign disputed this, asserting that the former governor "opposed cashless bail while signing stricter bail laws and putting rapists and violent criminals behind bars," citing the Pretrial Integrity Act he signed.
In a news release, Whatley expressed his honor at receiving the NCFOP's endorsement and pledged to support law enforcement if elected. He has committed to backing measures such as the Protect and Serve Act and the HALO Act, which the union believes will enhance officer protection and resources.