Gov. Pat McCrory on Wednesday nominated a 30-year veteran of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department to head the State Bureau of Investigation, seeking to fill the position after the former director abruptly resigned early this year.
In selecting Rob Schurmeir, who served as interim chief of Charlotte-Mecklenburg police before retiring, McCrory is looking to name the state’s top investigator for the second time since the Republican-led General Assembly moved the agency’s oversight to the governor from the attorney general in 2014.
Schurmeir’s appointment is subject to confirmation from the General Assembly, which is scheduled to convene for its session later this month. McCrory, formerly the mayor of Charlotte, said he’s known Schurmeir professionally for more than 20 years but that the nomination was recommended by an independent committee.
“I did want to go ahead and interview several candidates, but this committee had a clear choice,” McCrory said. “I feel very, very fortunate that the committee selected someone of such quality.”
Schurmeir, 62, is graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He worked in the Charlotte police’s narcotics units, helped create a cold-case unit, and served as deputy chief for more than 10 years. After he retired in 2004, Schurmeir co-founded Insignis Security Solutions, a private investigations firm, with two retired law enforcement officers.
In an event at the state’s executive mansion on Wednesday, Schurmeir said his firm was successful and that it had been a difficult decision for him to pursue the nomination.
“The gravitational pull to return to law enforcement and the opportunity to serve in this position ultimately took the day,” he said. “I look forward to serving the citizens of North Carolina.”
Schurmeir would replace B.W. Collier, a 26-year veteran of the SBI, who retired from the top position, citing personal reasons. Collier retired roughly six months after being sworn in for an eight-year term.
Janie Sutton, also a long-time veteran of the agency, has been serving as interim director.
