WCCB Charlotte's CW
July 23, 2021
CHARLOTTE, NC. — A candid CMPD Chief Johnny Jennings didn’t hold back during an exclusive interview Friday. WCCB Charlotte’s Alexandra Elich asked him directly if Charlotte has a gang issue:
“I think any gangs that we have in Charlotte, I think that is an issue. I’m definitely not going to say that we’re immune to any of the gang problems that you see across the country because we do have identified gangs in Charlotte,” Chief Jennings says.
Historically, leaders in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department have not admitted there is a gang problem in Charlotte because saying there’s a gang problem decreases Charlotte’s desirability, according to crime analyst Shannon Reid.