A special Charlottesville grand jury has made six recommendations for improving relations between the City Police Department and the community, particularly African-Americans. The recommendations address concerns that mistrust and suspicions of racism hamper the department's ability to investigate crime.
The grand jury report, publicly released Mar. 16, was formed at the request of the Charlottesville Commonwealth's Attorney in response to concerns about a summer 2004 incident in which a Charlottesville resident was shot and injured by a police officer. The report found that the police acted properly in this incident, yet offered suggestions as to how the department could reduce the appearance of racism and increase credibility within the community.
"We see the Charlottesville Police Department as having carried out its duty in this instance with professionalism, with due concern for public safety and without bias," the report found. "So far as we know, this is typical of police operations in our City. At the same time, there is plenty of room for racial bias to operate with impunity inside the confines of a professionally managed and equipped police force."
The recommendations include police trainings on community relations, an outside examination of race relations in the justice system, more African-American police officers, greater community policing and a computer system to monitor incidents where police use force.
"It's a very good, solid piece of work," City Council member Kendra Hamilton said. "I wish that everyone in the community could read it."
Of the various recommendations made within the report, Hamilton was particularly optimistic about the potential for the community policing initiative.
"The community policing recommendation would do the most good," Hamilton said.
Although the City has appropriated funds for two community policing positions -- police officers specifically charged with policing through interaction with community members -- the City police department has had little success finding interested candidates in light of competition from military recruitment efforts, Hamilton added.
"I think that the starting point is to continue with the kind of discussion that occurs in Charlottesville periodically and that is occurring now on the topic of police relations in the community," Commonwealth's Attorney Warner "Dave" Chapman said. "We'll see from that dialogue what concrete steps can be taken and what improvements can be made."
Chapman said that the need for such action was highlighted by the summer 2004 case and others in which community mistrust inhibited the ability to solve and prosecute crimes in the City.
"It's really a complex subject, but it is true that the existence of mistrust makes it difficult to complete the best possible investigation at times and as a result to put together the best possible and most accurate prosecution at times," Chapman said.
Some members of the community, including University Dean of African American Affairs M. Rick Turner, were more skeptical that the grand jury recommendations or any other action could solve the problem of persistent racism within the community.
"Like all reports, you want folks to really come to grips with the fact that we need to talk and discuss these major issues," Turner said. "I'm losing faith that forums or summits or discussions will do much good."
Turner suggested that when young African-American males get near the University the police become suspicious and are more likely to stop and question them.
"Young men from the community will tell you that the closer to the University they get, the rate of being stopped increases," Turner said.
The Commonwealth's Attorney and the police said they share this concern and are working to ensure that all members of the community, students and locals alike, are treated equally.
"The neighborhoods in which students live predominantly are patrolled by Charlottesville police, many of whom are African-American," Chapman said. These students "are subjected to the same kinds of experiences that African-Americans who live in the community on a permanent basis."
While keeping the City safe remains a primary goal of police, some said they hope the department will take steps toward treating community members equally and with respect.
"I'd like for people to be treated with respect and that's the thing that's missing," Turner said. "African-American people are not treated with the respect that specifically white males get."
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