NC task force discusses community policing, reform

Apr. 25—RALEIGH — In order to achieve a more racially equitable future, law enforcement and the citizens they serve must have the same understanding and approach to police reform.

The North Carolina Task Force for Equity in Criminal Justice, established by Gov. Roy Cooper following the murder of George Floyd in 2020, met on Friday, April 21, to discuss police culture and community relations.

The TREC first set forth 125 policy recommendations in December 2020. From supporting local governments and communities with co-responder programs, to reducing strain on law enforcement, and everything in between, TREC implemented a wholistic approach to its reform project. Comprised of 25 of the some of the most well-known names representing all three branches of NC state and local government (former Sheriff James Clemmons was involved in the task force before his passing in 2021), freeing the criminal justice system of inequities and racial disparities is a motivating goal of the group.

After a brief introduction from Secretary Eddie Buffaloe Jr., chief of police Kevin Roberts, of Clayton County, Georgia, took the lectern, and gave a presentation highlighting how his department has enacted some of the goals of the TREC into action.

Robert's career began in the Department of Georgia Corrections, before jumping to the police department and holding every departmental role from patrol officer to lieutenant, and eventually chief.

He oversees over five hundred personnel across a field operations branch, and support branch. His jurisdiction is home to 300k people across 144 square miles. Chief Roberts has taken TREC suggestions to heart, making it his goal to improve overall police culture, and develop positive and lasting relationships with the community.

"It is important to get the right officers in the right places, and the wrong officers out," Roberts said. For him, department culture starts and ends with himself and his command staff. Accordingly, poor police culture reflects gaps in leadership within a department. Despite recruitment challenges, Roberts states that officers' cultural development starts with the recruiting process and to set the tone early for recruits when they enter the academy.

Roberts has placed a premium on developing positive community relationships. When community members have issues with specific incidents, he urges individual citizens to bring their problems directly to him. Neighborhood watch organizations, and homeowner's associations throughout the area have a direct line to the top of the command. Roberts insists that when the number of complaints against department actions are decreasing, and unsolicited gratitude is increasing, he knows the department is moving in the right direction.

Attendees of the meeting applauded Roberts for his work and shared that his work has paralleled the mission of the TREC.

According to the NC TREC, it is impossible to divorce racial equity in the criminal justice system from inequity across all facets of society. In 2018, black individuals were arrested more than 2.5 times than white individuals. "These data reflect a society and criminal justice system producing racially inequitable outcomes that demand our attention and action," states the report.

TREC members meet every two to three months to maintain forward momentum and continued oversight of their efforts. All of the reports from TREC and the progress of their recommendations can be found on the NC Department of Justice website. All of their meetings are open to the public via YouTube.

"Implementing these recommendations will take time, effort, and, in some cases, money," states the report from the Task Force for Equity in Criminal Justice. "We need to reduce the number of young people experiencing adverse childhood traumas. We need a better health care system. We need stronger public schools and more accessible economic opportunities for all. It is only by strengthening communities more broadly and fundamentally that we can fully achieve the goal of reducing racial disparities of all kinds."