Charlotte-area Congressional leaders address call to bring National Guard to Queen City

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — While National Guard troops are on the ground in Chicago, questions remain about whether Charlotte could request a deployment. 

It’s an idea that has been floated around following safety concerns in and around Uptown in recent months, but the area’s D.C. delegation remains divided on the matter. 

During a committee meeting on Tuesday, Republican Sen. Thom Tillis argued that calling in the guard is a bridge too far, that it is inaccurate to label Charlotte as a dangerous city. 

“I just hope we strike the balance so that we’re not fixing a problem temporarily, only to come back, maybe even worse than the problem we’re fixing at the moment,” said Tillis. 

Charlotte’s Democratic congresswoman, Alma Adams, told Queen City News via a statement that the city does not need the guard, that she is “confident that Mayor (Vi) Lyles’ and the Charlotte City Council’s work with Governor Josh Stein and the White House to meet all security and safety standards for the city is appropriate and underway, and I support their collaborative efforts to provide for public safety in Charlotte.” 

But other area officials remain open to the idea. That includes Republican U.S. Rep. Mark Harris. Harris told News Nation last month that he welcomed the guard’s assistance in fighting crime. 

“We desperately want to do whatever we can to give people a sense of security and recognize that law and order is being reestablished across this country,” he added. 

And Republican Congressman Addison McDowell, who represents parts of Cabarrus and Rowan counties, told Queen City News the mayor should consider requesting the guard because “people have the right to feel safe, and Charlotte should uphold the rule of law and use ever available resource to restore peace in the community. 

Mayor Lyles, who recently announced a surge in police and security in both South End and Uptown, told reporters last week that she sees no need for the guard.