NAACP asks for police action

A local man’s claim of racial profiling has prompted the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People to call for a civilian review of complaints against police.

The complaint was filed Aug. 10 on behalf of Charles Brown, owner of the East Rosemary Street barber shop Precise Cuts and Styles.

According to the complaint, Brown was unlawfully detained June 1 for about 40 minutes by Chapel Hill police who suspected he was somebody else.

As the incident is being investigated by Chapel Hill police, it is unclear whether the Town Council will establish a civilian review board, which would enable citizens to evaluate how complaints are handled.

If they don’t, Brown’s lawyer, Alan McSurely, who works with the Chapel Hill-Carrboro branch of the NAACP, said he will pursue a lawsuit.

Though McSurely said he’s pleased with the town’s response so far — a letter of apology — he stressed that racial profiling is an issue that must be addressed, not smoothed over.

“This is a very serious incident that took place, and I don’t think it is unique,” McSurely said.

The complaint states that Brown was walking from his shop to his fiancée’s house when he was stopped by police seeking a man named Mr. Farrington.

“We have met with him to hear his concerns,” said Chris Blue, Chapel Hill police assistant chief for administrative services.

“We’re still completing our internal review. What that will yield and what steps we will take going forward still remain to be seen.”

Michelle Cotton Laws, the NAACP branch president who filed the complaint, requested a timely, written response from Mayor Kevin Foy and a meeting with downtown business groups to discuss the climate for black business owners.

McSurely said the town attorney has told him the letter of apology will come soon.

“We should be getting it in the next few days. … I am satisfied they are acting on it,” he said.

Town spokeswoman Catherine Lazorko said the town discussed a civilian review board in a meeting in October and no action was taken.

But Lazorko said this does not mean the possibility of such a board has been ruled out.

“It was very clear that the council was interested in some kind of citizen review board,” Lazorko said.

McSurely said he has been in contact with town officials, while his client, Brown, said he has heard little.

Brown said he is not satisfied with the progress so far.

“It seems like they should have been trying to make it right immediately after it happened,” Brown said.

McSurely said he feels positive about the dialogue with the town but is willing to sue to make a statement.

“What we need is something that will protect people who believe that they have been stereotyped,” he said.

“We need to protect people who have the courage to stand up and say, ‘That is not right.’”


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