CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Two juvenile suspects are off the hook after allegedly stealing a car at gunpoint and leading police on a chase this week.
The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s hands are often tied when it comes to arresting teenage offenders. If the agency can't get secure custody orders to detain juveniles, they're forced to let them go.
It's a continuous issue of "catch and release," according to CMPD.
South Summit Avenue is a quiet neighborhood street in the Wesley Heights neighborhood. But on Tuesday night, two teenagers allegedly stole a man’s car there at gunpoint. Officers found the teens driving the stolen car on Wednesday morning and attempted to pull them over. This led to a police chase, and the suspects eventually fled on foot before they were caught. CMPD says a gun was recovered nearby.
The agency requested a secure custody order for both suspects, but the state’s Division of Juvenile Justice denied it.
"Obviously, it is really frustrating because we are doing our part," Lieutenant Crystal Fletcher shared with WCNC Charlotte's Julia Kauffman.
CMPD needs custody orders to take teenagers to detention centers, but they’re often denied.
"If we feel like we have gone the extra mile to ask for a secure order and they're denied, then we’re asking why," Fletcher explained.
Fletcher said the DJJ only grants custody orders for violent crimes and those can even be denied if there is not heavy documentation and evidence tying the teens to the crime.
"Sometimes we ask for orders and they're not granted when we wish they would’ve been granted," she added.
We asked if the issue was due to a lack of juvenile detention facility space. Fletcher said no, although having a facility in the county could help.
"Lack of space is not an excuse for our juvenile problem," Fletcher said.
WCNC Charlotte asked the NCDJJ why custody orders were denied for the two teens.
A spokesperson said they can’t comment on the case, but the decision is up to a district court judge. They wrote the following statement:
“When making decisions related to secure custody, staff with the Division of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention take very seriously any information addressing whether a juvenile presents a danger to public safety and respond accordingly. DJJDP’s role is to consider potential risks to public safety, the individualized needs of the juvenile and their risk of re-offending when making decisions about how to best address delinquency."
Fletcher said CMPD will continue to work with the DA’s Office and the NCDJJ to try to find solutions to this growing issue.