This extensive anti-profiling legislation would protect the citizens against profiling based on race, sexual orientation or immigration status. Rep. Moore has been working on this bill for over a year, and was inspired by the amount of young black males being killed and profiled by police officers.

The bill has three parts:

Data Collection

Police departments would collect empirical data such as homicide statistics, but also routine activities like traffic stops. A commission would be formed to review this data biannually. He feels this will discourage misconduct, encourage transparency and address the need to rebuild the public trust.

Providing Oversight though Citizen Review Board

Only 5 cities in North Carolina have the ability to create a CRB, the ones that exist -including the Charlotte Citizen Review board (CCRB)  – are advisory in nature with no investigatory power. This bill would strengthen a CRB’s ability to investigate misconduct and even give them the power to make recommendations. CCRB and it’s over sight of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have been called into question since media reports began highlighting CCRB’s history of never ruling in favor of citizens. Lead by attorney Matt Newton, a coalition of community leaders and concerned citizens, formed the Citizen’s Review Board Reform Group to push for changes in CMPD. This bill would offer many of the changes they have been pushing for such, as the power to subpoena records, review internal investigations and personnel records.

Racial Equity Training 

“There was a time when Charlotte was mainly black and white. Today so much more diverse. We need to prepare officers for the new citizen,” says Rep. Moore. To facilitate this all officers certified by the state of North Carolina will be mandated to have racial equity training. This would prepare new hires for the various populations they will be working with, and help more experienced law enforcement officers to better addresses the “new citizens” of our state. The legislation will be proposed mid February, and open for public dialogue before it is filed.

Link to original article from In These Streets