Courtesy of change.org
On June 9, a petition authored by a coalition of Black organizations and student leaders at NC State was created and circulated online, calling for change in policing on campus.
The petition comes following the death of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer and a series of peaceful protests against police brutality in Raleigh, where participants were met with Raleigh Police Department (RPD) officers in riot gear who released tear gas and rubber bullets into the crowd. The petition cites the RPD’s acts as “unacceptable,” and says the “instigation and escalation promoted by the RPD only results in injuries and suppression.”
The petition also comes following Chancellor Randy Woodson’s responses to the current racial climate and incidents of racism by students leaked on social media. The authors of the petition say the chancellor’s responses do not address the “relationship between campus security and Black students,” nor do they include “a plan to ensure the safety of Black students” on campus.
The organizations that crafted the petition include the NAACP at NC State, Nubian Message, the Caribbean Student Association, the National Society of Black Physicists, the African Student Union, the Society of Afrikan American Culture, the Black Business Student Association, the National Pan-Hellenic Council at NC State and the National Society of Black Engineers.
Joanay Tann, a third-year studying sociology and president of the Society of Afrikan American Culture, said NC State’s chapter of the NAACP coordinated across Black organizations on campus after recent events and the attempted organization of a protest on June 6 which excluded Black leaders on campus.
“I remember we had a meeting with Melanie Flowers and Chief House because there was going to be a protest at NC State, and it was for Black Lives Matter, but the people who were organizing it didn’t really involve Black student leaders on campus,” Tann said. “We had a Zoom meeting about that, and then they invited Chief House, and we’ve made it pretty clear that we don’t really want relations with that, especially after the RPD tear-gassed protestors. We had no reason for being in connection with them if we were going to protest, so we didn’t support that.”
Tann said they are still working on what they will do if the demands outlined in the petition are not met, but the coalition will deliberate and do what has to be done for Black voices to be heard on campus.
“Hopefully it doesn’t get to that point,” Tann said. “If it does, then we will do what we need to do to get our points across.”
The authors of the petition outlined 12 demands regarding campus security. Below are summaries of the points. Click here for the exact wording.
Black student leaders and organizations petition for:
The university to cut its ties with the RPD and create a detailed protocol for when the RPD is needed to participate in campus activities.
The creation of a community forum prior to implementing any new University Police Department (UPD) policies or budgets, so the NC State community and organization leaders can voice their approval or disapproval.
The implementation of a concrete system that allows the student body, staff and faculty to report any grievances they have with any UPD or RPD officer’s actions and/or behavior. This new system should have a third party to review the claims and issue a punishment for officers who are committing these infractions.
The creation of a consistently updated public database that documents a UPD officer’s history of excessive force in the field as well as reports of racial discrimination filed against the officer.
The formation of hiring committees that allow student organizations, specifically culturally-based organizations, to express their opinions before the hiring of new UPD officers.
RPD officers contracted by the university (current or future) to be held to the standards of the UPD when on campus or on campus-owned locations, instead of following the standards of the RPD.
The university to exterminate its contract with any RPD or UPD officer who has a record of excessive force.
A requirement that each UPD officer undergoes extensive training on de-escalation tactics, diversity and cultural engagement, racial bias and mental health, which will be repeated annually and administered by local Black organizations specializing in these programs. A public announcement must be made to the student body indicating the completion of these tests.
The implementation of an implicit bias test for all UPD officers during the previously mentioned training process. A lower score will require additional training, community service or termination of employment.
The creation of task forces for mental health and sexual assault emergencies. These task forces must work with the departments on campus that currently address these specific issues. The hours of mental health and sexual assault training required for the individuals assigned to these task forces should exceed that required of a regular UPD officer.
The standardization of WolfAlert messages; the alerts should not only be sent when the suspect is a Black man.
A thorough response from the university and initiation of these demands before students arrive on campus for the first day of class on August 10th.
The NC State University Police Department issued a statement in response to students’ concerns in regard to ties with RPD on June 8, and NC State University Police Chief Daniel House gave a statement to Technician in response to the petition on June 10.
In his statement, House said he is meeting and working with Student Government to discuss the next steps and narrow concerns. He also said the NC State University Police Department is planning a town hall with the NC State community on Wednesday, July 8 at 1 p.m. to communicate future plans and address other concerns.
“We have realized that many of the students, and possibly faculty and staff, are not fully aware of our departments capabilities, services and our independence from RPD and other Law Enforcement agencies,” House said in a written statement. “In addition, many of the demands stipulated in their petition are already in place and have been for many years, so there appears to be at least some misunderstanding that we would like to address.”
Brad Bohlander, chief communication officer and associate vice chancellor of university communications, also issued a statement. In this statement, Bohlander said Chancellor Woodson is working with Student Body President Melanie Flowers to “arrange a listening session with Black student organizations to discuss these and other concerns.” He also said the petition is currently being reviewed and will receive a response.
“NC State takes to heart the concerns of our community,” Bohlander said. “University leaders want Black students, staff and faculty to be and feel safe on campus, and to be and feel heard when there are concerns.”
In a statement, Flowers said the following about the petition:
“The policing petition organized by Black student leaders clearly communicates larger reforms that have been identified as essential in moving the University forward,” Flowers said. “This document is going to serve as a great stepping stone for our Black student organizations to have a long overdue amplification of their voices.”
As of Thursday, June 11 at 7:50 p.m., the petition has 3,896 signatures, with a goal of 5,000.
“We would love to get to a point where our university is anti-racist, but until then, these are the things we have to go through,” Tann said.
If you are interested, sign the petition. To further contribute to and educate yourself on the Black Lives Matter movement, read Nubian Message’s resource list to get involved.