CHARLOTTE, N.C. — It's been about a week since WCNC Charlotte first reported about the resignation of Kevin Canty, chief deputy at the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office.
Canty's blistering resignation letter took several shots at Sheriff Garry McFadden, accusing him of running the agency "into the ground" and demoralizing the men and women who work there. Canty also accuses McFadden of being insecure and taking credit for successes while blaming others for all the problems under his watch. The letter cites alleged abuse of power, unprofessionalism and racism.
Now, Canty has sat down with WCNC Charlotte reporter Austin Walker to offer more insight into his time with the agency, which lasted less than a year.
"Initially it was very different," Canty said. "The first hint that something might be wrong is captured in a picture of my swearing-in ceremony."
He said almost right after the photo was taken, things began to unravel.
"I remember after Garry McFadden introduced me, he began to make disparaging comments to the command staff. 'I know that you all think you are great, but you aren't -- well some of you are'. And that became a common theme," Canty said. "I remember looking at the audience and hoping they think I thought that behavior was inappropriate."
Canty was on the job for just nine months. But only after a few months of witnessing what he described as disrespect to other employees and himself, he documented it all.
"I wrote that letter in June," he said. He told WCNC Charlotte McFadden referred to white deputies using a derogatory word and told Black employees they had a "plantation mentality".
"I heard that myself," Canty noted.
WCNC Charlotte obtained audio of one of the meetings where McFadden was present. He's quoted as calling one white deputy a racially-pejorative term.
Canty took his letter to McFadden and got a flat answer.
"He told me he wasn't going to change," Canty said.
He kept the letter on him at all times, changing the date every time McFadden was in town and there was an occasion. Over time, Canty said he faced backlash from McFadden.
"[McFadden] told me not to attend the executive team meeting, so he already started to retaliate against me at that point," he said.
Canty's resignation letter said the sheriff's office under McFadden was run as a "third-world dictatorship". He told WCNC Charlotte McFadden did so using the department's Office of Professional Conduct.
"He often weaponized that unit and targeted people he did not like," Canty said.
He also empathized with current employees he said "can't speak out because they don't want to lose their jobs".
Earlier this week, WCNC Charlotte reporter Nate Morabito tried to question McFadden about Canty's resignation at an event outside the Mecklenburg County Courthouse aimed at offering free healthcare services to people in need.
"I wish him well," McFadden said as he kept walking to the event, smiling.
Morabito asked why McFadden was smiling.
"I'm smiling because I'm going over here. Look, don't sound bite me, I'm coming over here to help people with health," he said, "and that's why I'm smiling."
When asked about employees who may have concerns similar to Canty's, McFadden offered this response:
"I have many employees who may say different," he said. "We can line up employees but that's not what we are going to do."
Contact Austin Walker at awalker@wcnc.com and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.