Please note revised timeline below.
In response to the violent acts against a city resident, Mayor Esther Manheimer, Vice Mayor Gwen Wisler, and Police Chief Tammy Hooper met with the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance (IMA) and the Baptist Ministers Union (BMU) the afternoon on March 1.
The participants had an open dialogue about the video and agreed to meet again on March 22, 2018.
The pastors expressed their concern about the impact this incident has had on the relationship between police officers and the African American community. While progress has been made with the implementation of body worn cameras and the adoption of a use of force policy that emphasizes de-escalation; City representatives recognized that this incident is a set-back to progress and apologized on behalf of the City.
The City is committed to working with the community to further improvements in relations and the practices of the police department. The City representatives further stated that the Council will conduct an immediate review into the circumstances of this incident, the release of information, and the status of the investigation.
Since the meeting, a timeline has been compiled and shared. A hotline has also been established where community members can leave comments that will be forwarded to the Citizen’s Police Advisory Committee. The Community Engagement Hotline is 828-259-5900.
Related:
Asheville Police Chief Tammy Hooper issues statement
Mayor Manheimer issues statement about police video
