In a striking turn for a Senate campaign built around public safety, former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has failed to secure a single endorsement from major law enforcement organizations in the state, according to a new report.
Three of the most prominent groups representing police and troopers have instead lined up behind Republican nominee Michael Whatley, the former RNC chairman, handing him a unified front among the state’s law enforcement community.
Whatley Wins Endorsements From Police Groups
The North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police, the North Carolina Police Benevolent Association, and the North Carolina Troopers Association have all endorsed Whatley, according to announcements made over the past several weeks.
“Michael Whatley has the 100 percent support of the North Carolina Fraternal Order of Police,” said Chet Effler, president of the NC FOP, in a statement earlier this month. “He has demonstrated to the North Carolina FOP that he stands with law enforcement, and will work to make sure our officers have the resources needed to keep our communities safe. Michael Whatley will always back the blue and have our backs in Washington DC.”
The Police Benevolent Association, the largest of the three groups, went through an extensive vetting process before making its decision. The group met with both candidates, including a session with a 24-member committee.
“Michael Whatley has met with us, discussed our issues, met with a committee of about 24 of our members, as did Roy Cooper,” PBA President David Rose told the North State Journal. “When we reach this decision, we are picking the person that we think most identifies our issues and that we can trust that while we’re out there keeping citizens safe, that’s going to have our back and keep us safe.”
Troopers Association Endorsement Stings for Cooper
The endorsement from the NC Troopers Association carries particular weight given Cooper’s eight years as governor. The association represents the North Carolina Highway Patrol, which reported directly to Cooper during his tenure and worked closely with his administration.
The snub is a notable blow to Cooper’s campaign, which has sought to portray him as a tough-on-crime figure who kept violent offenders behind bars.
But law enforcement groups point to Cooper’s record, including a 2021 mass prison release that freed 4,200 convicted criminals — the largest in state history. Cooper was also the only governor in the country to sign a legally binding agreement requiring his state to release prisoners, a step taken by no other state, including Democratic-led ones like Colorado, Illinois, and New Jersey.
A 2024 report from North Carolina’s Sentencing and Policy Advisory Commission found that the recidivism rate for released convicts was 48 percent, higher than the 44 percent rate for the nearly 13,000 prisoners released during fiscal year 2021.
Lawsuit Spotlights Cooper’s Criminal Justice Policies
The renewed scrutiny on Cooper’s record comes as the family of Iryna Zarutska filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city of Charlotte over her murder. The lawsuit alleges negligence in security and failure to enforce ticket requirements, arguing her death was preventable.
Mecklenburg County, which includes Charlotte, implemented many of the changes that Cooper advocated for in his criminal justice reform agenda, including cashless bail and reduced charges for violent offenders.
Cooper’s proposals included promoting “diversion and other alternatives to arrest,” and encouraged law enforcement to consider the collateral consequences of a criminal record, as well as issuing citations and summonses instead of arrests.
For Whatley, the unified support from law enforcement is a key selling point in a state where public safety is a top issue for voters. The endorsements give him a clear contrast with Cooper on crime and punishment.
Cooper’s campaign has not yet responded to the endorsements, but the lack of support from the very groups that represent the people he worked with for years is likely to become a central talking point in the final stretch of the race.
Source: www.breitbart.com — https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2026/08/27/democrat-roy-cooper-shunned-by-law-enforcement-in-north-carolina-senate-run/