Cary Police Chief Terry Sult has spent tens of thousands of miles behind the wheel of a town-issued pickup, including trips to a home nearly 180 miles away, while maintaining two properties in the Charlotte area, according to public records and reporting. The black 2022 Ford F-150 assigned to Sult racked up roughly 42,000 miles in about 40 months, with several months topping 1,000 miles of travel, raising fresh questions about residency rules for senior officials, town fleet policy and how much taxpayers have helped support the chief’s living arrangements.
Records show mileage, homes and early living support
Documents obtained by The News & Observer indicate Sult’s assigned vehicle logged about 41,772 miles, with the town recording roughly $5,800 in fuel and maintenance costs. Reporting also shows Sult owns a Lake Norman-area home in Mecklenburg County and a residence in Iron Station in Lincoln County, where he is registered to vote, and that the town covered some of his living expenses early in his tenure. As reported by The News & Observer, the town required Sult to obtain a Cary residence when he was made permanent chief in 2022.
Town frames take-home use as readiness
On the municipal website and in police department materials, the chief’s role in emergency response is heavily emphasized, along with the need for rapid availability. Town officials have defended assigning a take-home vehicle to the top officer as a readiness and safety measure rather than a commute perk. For background on Sult’s career path and the department’s leadership structure, see the Town of Cary chief biography.
SBI review and the Stegall records
The mileage questions are unfolding alongside a separate review of records from a 2016 police surveillance involving then-town manager Sean Stegall. The Wake County district attorney asked the State Bureau of Investigation to examine how that case was handled. Cary Police Chief Sult told WRAL that reconstructing nine- and 10-year-old paper records is difficult and that he is working with the SBI to fill in gaps. Sult has also said he recommended that certain records be released and noted that no charges were filed in the earlier probe.
What the records say about pay and logging rules
Public records cited in coverage show Sult’s compensation increased after he became permanent chief, placing his pay among the highest for local chiefs in the region. The News & Observer also reports the town stopped paying his separate living expenses in August 2022 and that, under town practice, Sult is not required to record exactly where he drove the take-home vehicle. Those policy details are now central to conversations about disclosure standards and how contracts for senior officials are structured.
Local reaction and prior coverage
Some current and former council members told reporters they have seen no problem with the chief’s availability and said he has been reachable when needed, while at least one board member said they were unaware of the Charlotte-area residences. Local outlets have continued to follow the records releases and calls for transparency; one outlet covered earlier transparency pushes tied to the town’s disclosure of Stegall-era records.
Legal implications
The SBI review was requested by the Wake County district attorney to determine whether the handling of the 2016 surveillance was appropriate. That probe is separate from questions about residency or vehicle use, but it adds outside scrutiny to how Cary has managed past and present records. WRAL reports the SBI will forward any findings to the district attorney, and town leaders say they will follow recommendations from state or county reviewers as they emerge.
