About Us History Union County was formed in 1842 from parts of Anson County and Mecklenburg County. At the time, there was a dispute between local Whigs and Democrats as to whether it should be named Clay or Jackson. The name Union was suggested and adopted as a compromise because the new county was created from parts of two others. It is in the south central section of the state and borders the state of South Carolina and the North Carolina counties of Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Stanly, and Anson. The present land area is 637.37 square miles. In 1843 the North Carolina Legislature decreed that the newly-formed County of Union have as its county seat, a town named for the fifth United States President, James Monroe, on a site not to exceed two miles from the geographical center of the county. A site selection was made and the deed was transferred. The incorporation of the town of Monroe was one year later on December 24, 1844. Monroe is also the hometown of Jesse Helms, the retired U.S. Senator from North Carolina who served five terms (1973-2003) in the Senate. Helms was a prominent national leader of the religious right wing of the Republican Party and played a key role in helping Ronald Reagan become President of the United States. Helm's father, "Big Jesse", was the Chief of Police and the Fire Chief in Monroe for many years. Present Currently the Monroe Police Department is one of thirteen City departments. The Police Department has 84 sworn and 12 non-sworn positions. and an operating budget of $6.8 million. The twelve civilian personnel consists of four Administrative Assistants, four Public Information Clerks who also operate DCI, two Parking Enforcement Officers and two Animal Control Officers. The agency's ethnic ratio of sworn positions is as follows: Caucasian 83.33% (70), African-American 10.71% (9), Hispanic 3.57% (3), and other 2.38% (2). Of this total, 10.64% (10) are female. The Department's Divisions include Administration, Patrol, Investigations, Drugs, Special Response Team (SRT), Traffic Safety and Enforcement Unit, Community Intervention Team (CIT), Canine Unit, Parking Enforcement Unit, and Animal Control. In addition, the Department has three School Resource Officers, one D.A.R.E. Officer, and one G.R.E.A.T. (Gang Resistance Education And Training) Officer. |