Editing Andrews, North Carolina (section)

==Law enforcement==
[[File:The_Andrews_Police_Department_in_Andrews,_North_Carolina_and_Cherokee_County.jpg|thumb|Andrews' police department was the town hall until 2023]]
The Andrews Police Department occupies a 1940s stone building that was also the town hall until the city administration moved to a building on West End Plaza in 2023.

In March 2014, four officers resigned in protest after an uncertified administrative police chief was hired.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |date=2024-05-08 |title=This Week in Local History |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local/week-local-history-112 |access-date=2024-05-09 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=6A}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |date=April 10, 2024 |title=This Week in Local History |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local/week-local-history-108 |access-date=April 12, 2024 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC |page=8A}}</ref> The town's police department again faced turmoil in the early 2020s, according to the ''Cherokee Scout'' newspaper, as it went through eight police chiefs in six years and the town became known as a "chief killer."<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/officer-settling-hometown-police-chief |title=Officer settling in as hometown police chief |work=Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, North Carolina |publisher=Community Newspapers |date=December 29, 2023 |page=A1 |access-date=January 3, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/andrews-hires-new-police-chief-0 |title=Andrews hires new police chief |work=Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, North Carolina |publisher=Community Newspapers |date=October 17, 2023 |access-date=January 3, 2024 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Brown |first=David |date=April 10, 2024 |title=Good times here in Andrews |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/opinion/good-times-here-andrews?check_logged_in=1 |access-date=April 12, 2024 |work=[[Cherokee Scout]] |publisher=[[Community Newspapers Inc.]] |location=Murphy, NC}}</ref> In 2020, the police chief resigned after the mayor ordered him to establish checkpoints and harass visitors to prevent [[COVID-19]] from entering Andrews.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ray |first=Penny |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-news/andrews-police-chief-resigns |title=Andrews police chief resigns |newspaper=Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, North Carolina |publisher=Community Newspapers |date=July 16, 2020 |access-date=January 3, 2024 }}</ref> In 2021, an officer wrecked a patrol car at a high speed downtown. Afterwards, officers contemplated disabling their automatic vehicle locators so they couldn't be tracked.<ref>{{cite news |last=Ray |first=Penny |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-news-newsletter/entire-town-police-force-suspended?check_logged_in=1 |title=Entire town police force suspended |work=Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, North Carolina |publisher=Community Newspapers |date=April 20, 2021 |access-date=January 3, 2024 }}</ref> That same year the city's entire police force was suspended after officers reportedly moved cameras facing locations like the station's evidence room.<ref>{{cite news |last=Knoepp |first=Lilly |url=https://www.bpr.org/news/2021-04-26/entire-andrews-police-force-suspended-placed-on-paid-leave |title=Entire Andrews Police Force Suspended, Placed On Paid Leave |work=Blue Ridge Public Radio |date=April 26, 2021 |access-date=January 3, 2024 }}</ref> In May 2023, the assistant chief was wounded after he was accidentally shot with an AR-15 style rifle.<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local/asst-chief-wounded-when-rifle-goes-outside-andrews-pd |title=Ass't. chief wounded when rifle goes off outside Andrews PD |work=Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, North Carolina |publisher=Community Newspapers |date=May 26, 2023 |access-date=January 3, 2024 }}</ref> In June 2023, a female officer who allegedly stalked a 16-year-old Andrews High School student she dated was ordered to stay away from the girl.<ref>{{cite news |last=Foster |first=Randy |url=https://www.cherokeescout.com/local-newsletter/police-officer-accused-stalking-teen |title=Police officer accused of stalking teen |work=Cherokee Scout |location=Murphy, North Carolina |publisher=Community Newspapers |date=June 27, 2023 |access-date=January 3, 2024 }}</ref> In September 2023, the police chief was suspended after he was charged with obtaining property under false pretenses and obstruction of justice. He died before arrest.<ref>{{cite news |last=Emert |first=Jennifer |url=https://wlos.com/news/local/new-police-chief-appointed-in-andrews-following-former-chiefs-death-and-legal-controversy |title=New police chief appointed in Andrews following former chief's death and legal controversy |work=WLOS |location=Asheville, North Carolina |publisher=ABC 13 News |date=October 11, 2023 |access-date=January 3, 2024 }}</ref>