Selma Police Officer Joseph Atkinson Fired After Viral Traffic Stop Recording Dispute
Selma Police Officer Joseph Atkinson was fired after a traffic stop involving local mechanic Matthew Sanders went viral and sparked a formal misconduct complaint, public backlash, and an internal investigation into the officer’s conduct.
The incident happened during a September 2024 traffic stop in Selma, North Carolina. Sanders, who operates Encore Automotive in Smithfield, said he was driving a customer’s vehicle to a body shop when he was stopped by Selma police. Sanders recorded the encounter on his cellphone, and the video later became the center of the controversy.
According to ABC11, Selma police pulled Sanders over on September 19, 2024. The encounter became combative, and Sanders later filed a complaint claiming officers turned off his phone and that the video was deleted. Sanders said he was able to recover the footage and share it online.
JoCo Report reported that Sanders alleged one of the officers deleted the original recording from his cellphone and that he recovered the video from his recently deleted files. The YouTube video, titled “Cop Caught Deleting Video While Searching Car”, reportedly drew more than 150,000 views within the first 24 hours.
Sanders told reporters his main concern was not simply the stop itself, but what he believed happened to his recording. He said he started recording because he was scared and viewed the cellphone camera as a tool for accountability during a police encounter.
The Selma Police Department opened an internal investigation. In an October 9, 2024 letter to Sanders, Selma Police Chief Jamie A. Hughes wrote that the department expects officers to conduct themselves professionally during public interactions. Hughes stated that Sanders filed an official complaint on September 25, 2024, and that an investigator was assigned. The chief also said two independent agencies were asked to assist with the investigation.
According to the Selma Police Department letter, investigators believed the video was deleted at some point during the traffic stop, but the forensic data was inconclusive as to when, how, or whether the action occurred. The letter stated that nothing was found to substantiate the specific allegation that Officer Atkinson deleted the video.
The same letter also said Sanders was asked at least 14 times to exit the vehicle. Police claimed the officer had probable cause to ask Sanders to get out based on the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. The department’s letter concluded that Sanders and the officer both continued to be argumentative, but that no policy or procedure violations were found regarding the treatment-of-citizens complaint.
Despite those findings, Atkinson did not keep his job. JoCo Report reported that Chief Hughes terminated Officer Joseph Atkinson from the Selma police force on October 21, 2024. Selma Mayor Byron McAllister later confirmed that Atkinson’s employment with the Town of Selma had been terminated after further review of the officer’s actions shown in the viral video.
McAllister told local media that the traffic stop itself was considered legitimate by the town and that investigators did not substantiate the claim that Atkinson deleted the video. However, according to WRAL, the mayor said several factors, including the viral video, led to Atkinson’s firing. McAllister said the officer was still within a probationary employment period and that the chief determined Atkinson’s performance warranted termination.
ABC11 reported that Sanders was charged after the stop with offenses including expired registration, possession of marijuana, and resisting an officer, charges Sanders denied. JoCo Report listed the charges as expired registration, rear lamp violation, possession of marijuana up to one-half ounce, possession of marijuana paraphernalia, and resisting a public officer. Since Atkinson was no longer employed by the Selma Police Department, JoCo Report noted that the status of Sanders’ pending charges would be left to the Johnston County District Attorney’s Office.
This case is a reminder that police accountability often turns not only on whether a stop is technically lawful, but also on whether the officer’s behavior during the stop meets the standards expected of someone wearing a badge. Selma officials defended the legality of the stop, but still fired Atkinson after the video and internal review raised enough concern about his performance.
For the public, the most important issue may be even broader: citizens have a powerful interest in recording police activity, especially during tense traffic stops. When a recording disappears, is interrupted, or appears to be tampered with, public trust collapses fast. Whether investigators could prove intentional deletion or not, the viral Atkinson traffic stop became another example of why body cameras, dash cameras, clear recording policies, and transparent discipline matter.
