A WCNC Charlotte analysis found Chief Johnny Jennings’ pension will increase by thousands of dollars due to his settlement with the city. He will retire in January.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The city of Charlotte’s newly disclosed payout to Police Chief Johnny Jennings lists the total value of his separation agreement at $305,000, but the settlement will actually cost taxpayers more down the road.
The taxpayer-funded settlement doesn’t just pay him now. It will also boost his partially taxpayer-funded pension by thousands of dollars every year when he retires, a WCNC Charlotte analysis found.
The city settled with Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s chief in early May, long after a former council member went to war with him over whether patrol officers should wear outer carrier vests. Jennings alleged his state and federal rights were violated as a result, according to the separation agreement.
Amid mounting public pressure and an investigation by the state auditor, the chief released the details of his separation agreement with WCNC Charlotte on Sunday. The agreement includes a promise to retire on Jan. 1, 2026.
The settlement includes a retroactive $14,016.70 pay raise for 2025 and a $45,698.56 retention bonus, both of which are pension-eligible wages. A $175,000 severance payment, though, “will NOT be considered pension eligible wages,” according to the settlement.
The North Carolina Department of State Treasurer administers the Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System (LGERS). A spokesperson said the agency is not at liberty to reveal the details of Chief Jennings’ eventual pension at this time.
“Some payments to employees count as ‘compensation’ for LGERS purposes, and some do not,” spokesperson Loretta Boniti said. “If ‘compensation’ is paid to an employee within a certain four-year period, it will increase the employee’s lifetime retirement benefit. Under the confidentiality provisions of G.S. 128-33.1, we would not be able to provide you with details of the Police Chief’s retirement process or amounts until after he is receiving retirement benefits.”
WCNC Charlotte used the North Carolina Retirement Systems benefit estimator to conclude the settlement will increase the chief’s pension by at least an extra $9,000 a year for the rest of his life. WCNC Charlotte relied on publicly available salary data for its calculations, since the city of Charlotte had yet to provide the chief’s public personnel file. WCNC Charlotte requested the public portions of his file three weeks ago.
WCNC Charlotte received the chief’s personnel file after the deadline on Wednesday. A subsequent analysis showed the additional $9,000 a year numbers match up.
WCNC Charlotte’s analysis assumes the chief contributed to LGERS throughout his entire career and did not withdraw contributions. Retirees can also purchase additional service credits by converting unused sick leave to creditable service at retirement, which can increase their pension amounts.
Even before the details of the chief’s settlement became public this week, the government watchdog group Taxpayers Protection Alliance explained exactly why transparency in all this matters.
“At the end of the day, tax dollars come from the people. They come from the paychecks that hardworking voters earn,” TPA research director David McGarry said. “And voters, because of that fact, have a right to know precisely where that money is being directed.”
The chief’s settlement, which he said he disclosed “in the interest of full transparency,” includes an extra 40 days of vacation, valued at $45,284.70. Those days are on top of the chief’s existing balance and will be added to his “vacation bank,” which would be paid after his retirement. An online state explainer suggests the timing of Chief Jennings’ eventual vacation bank payment, planned some time between January 1 and January 31, 2026, would preclude the $45,284.70 from counting toward his final pension benefit.
The settlement also included a $25,000 payment “for costs incurred” related to his dispute with the city.
WCNC Charlotte provided the chief, his team and the city with a chance to comment and/or dispute this reporting before publication.
Contact Nate Morabito at [email protected] and follow him on Facebook, X and Instagram.
For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts that impact you from WCNC Charlotte, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app and enable push notifications.
