UNION COUNTY, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) -- A former Salisbury police officer who resigned from his position after a controversial video showing him reportedly mishandling his K-9 partner is now working for the Union County Sheriff’s Office.

James Hampton, who resigned from the Salisbury Police Department in 2021 following the incident, was recently sworn in as a deputy sheriff in Union County.

The sheriff's office welcomed Hampton and two other new hires during a ceremony in July 2025, sharing the announcement on social media.

The viral video that led to Hampton’s resignation showed him lifting his K-9, named Zuul, off the ground by its leash and striking the dog. Though criticized, no criminal charges were filed after investigations concluded Hampton’s actions didn’t meet the threshold fo

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