Charlotte, N.C. – The City of Charlotte received from the Police Foundation and released to the public an independent assessment of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s (CMPD) response to the September 2016 demonstrations.
The Foundation is the oldest nationally known, nonprofit, nonpartisan, and non-membership-driven organization dedicated to improving policing. Its mission is to advance policing through innovation and science. The Foundation developed a comprehensive methodology to thoroughly review and assess the public safety response to the demonstrations that followed the officer-involved shooting on September 20, 2016.
The Police Foundation’s assessment team found that during the demonstrations, CMPD acted appropriately and in line with its policies and procedures. CMPD displayed professionalism and restraint as it endeavored to balance the First Amendment rights of the protestors against the safety of the community and its officers, according to the Foundation’s findings. The Foundation also identified areas in which CMPD could improve its policies, practices and operations to strengthen the department’s relationship with the community it serves through 35 recommendations.
In 2016, the City of Charlotte invited the Foundation to conduct the independent review. The assessment included:
- On-site data collection
- Resource material review
- Off-site data collection and research
CMPD continues to work diligently to improve safety, trust and accountability. CMPD has adopted recommendations from the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing and participates in the Open Data Initiative, which provides information on officer-involved shootings and traffic stops as part of the open data project. CMPD also offers positive experiences for local youth by connecting them with officers and other caring adults to help them with decision-making skills to overcome challenges.
You can read the full documents by clicking the following links:
Police Foundation Review Draft Brief
Police Foundation Critical Incident Review Draft
