Union County, NC- Union County has appointed James Hampton as deputy chief. Hampton, who previously held the same role in Salisbury, North Carolina, was the subject of an investigation regarding the treatment of his K-9 partner. The investigation did not result in charges. His hiring has drawn concern from some residents.
In 2021, a video was released reportedly showing Hampton yelling at his K-9, Zuul, after the dog exited a vehicle before aggressively putting a leash on Zuul, lifting him by the neck, and slamming him into the side of the car, followed by shoving him into the back seat. Once inside, Hampton reportedly slapped Zuul and pushed him further into the vehicle.
A bystander was overheard saying, “We’re good, no witnesses,” during the incident.
The video’s release led to a Change.org petition calling for the removal of Hampton’s badge, which has since grown to more than 128,000 signatures.The footage has resurfaced following Hampton’s new appointment in Union County, intensifying community backlash.
“Animal cruelty is one of the worst crimes as it shows the true nature of a person,” said Union County resident Landon Trull. “It is easy for a person to act kindly towards their own kind when faced with an innocent creature, your actions show your true character.”
The Union County Sheriff’s Office posted an official statement on their social media pages Wednesday Aug. 20, 2025 at 12:19 p.m. regarding the matter. Eddie Cathy, sheriff of Union County wrote a two page statement “stand[ing] by the decision to hire Deputy James Hampton.”
This statement disclosed that there was an investigation on the matter shortly after it occurred and it was “determined that there was insufficient evidence to support any criminal offense.”
Cathy made it clear that he does not have any intention of firing Hampton and the officer is “currently assigned to [their] Patrol Division field training program where he is learning the policies, procedures, and best practices for [their] office.”
