CHARLOTTE — Jonathan Thomas was sworn in as the new chief of the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Police Department earlier this month, taking on the challenge of ensuring safety across 186 schools.
Thomas, who retired from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department after 27.5 years of service, brings extensive experience in emergency management and crisis training to his new role.
His appointment comes as the district faces ongoing security concerns, including weekly threats and incidents involving weapons on school grounds.
“I felt I had more to give, and I had seen the incidences across the nation of security threats at schools,” Thomas said, explaining his motivation to lead the district’s police force.
The Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Police Department, established in 2009, is one of only two school systems in the state with its own police department. Thomas is the fourth chief to lead the department.
A recent incident highlighted the challenges faced by the department when a student fired a shot into a school two weeks before the school year started.
Thomas noted that security measures, such as weapons detectors and locked doors, were not fully in place at the time.
Securing after-school events is also a priority for Thomas, who expressed concern about unsupervised teenagers causing disruptions.
“Parents will come and drop four or five teenagers off at the game and drive off,” he said, indicating that changes may be needed to prevent issues.
The department, consisting of 25 sworn officers and supported by 200 campus security associates, collaborates with neighboring police departments to enhance school safety.
Thomas emphasized the importance of recognizing and addressing security issues proactively.
With Thomas at the helm, the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools Police Department aims to bolster its security measures and address the concerns of parents and the community.
“We have in-house police that, we work with the other agencies, but we’re able to recognize, hey, we have an issue here, we need to shore this up,” Thomas said.
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