MECKLENBURG COUNTY, N.C. — Sheriff Garry McFadden has been on the job for three weeks and in that time, he’s fulfilled the first of three promises he made during his campaign.
[RELATED: Mecklenburg County inmates get in-person visits through end of month]
The first promise he fulfilled was to end the county's 287(g) agreement with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency. The program allowed deputies to run a suspect's name through immigration databases to determine if they're in the country without documentation.
His second promise, which would allow people to visit their incarcerated loved ones in person, is being tested with plans to roll it out by the new year.
Previously, inmates at the Mecklenburg County Jail were granted two video calls per week, for free.
[ALSO READ: Mecklenburg County sheriff addresses frustration over pay to county leaders]
At that time, the Sheriff's Office said in-person visits could pose a safety risk, possibly opening the door to contraband, but McFadden explained why he believes that won't be an issue.
“You can't pass anything because there's no slip or slot to pass anything. You hear them. There's a speaker and there's a glass,” he said.
McFadden told Eyewitness News reporter Dashawn Brown, the potential change touched the hearts of a lot of people and he wants to listen to them.
Channel 9 spoke to a woman as she went to visit her brother.
“We always see him on the video. You know, the video, you really can't see him, so seeing him in person, it means absolutely a lot,” she said.
McFadden also addressed the issue of using solitary confinement in jail. He told Brown that he's against it, and said his policy is ready. It just needs to be reviewed.
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Cox Media Group