GCJAC Annual Report 2020-2021

POLICY REVIEWS & RECOMMENDATIONS

Written Consent to Search Due to concern from the community about written consent for police searches, the GCJAC reviewed the current GPD consent to search policy as well as policies from other comparative cities across NC. The GCJAC found in January 2020 that GPD has a very comprehensive policy, however there where changes that could be made to enhance the policy. A recommendation (see link to full report on page 15) was submitted to City Council in February 2020 outlining three suggested changes to the policy: • The consent search form should prioritize that consent is voluntary. • There should be an addition to the form to include withdrawal of consent. • Officers should read the consent to search form to people prior to having them sign. • In July 2020, the GCJAC made a motion to reaffirm their recommendations on consent searches to City Council. In September 2020, GPD modified Departmental Directive 12.5.1: Consent Search to include Informed Documented Consent Searches to say, “In all instances, officers shall inform the person from whom consent is sought that consent to search is voluntary, they have the right to refuse consent, and they have the right to withdraw consent at any time during the search.”This informed consent to search is to be captured by the officer’s body worn camera. Marijuana Versus Hemp In October 2020, the GCJAC began looking at data from the GPD on citations, arrest and searches that stemmed from the suspicion of marijuana possession. The data confirmed disparities relating to gender and race. The commission researched state laws across the US and followed NC’s proposed laws about marijuana and hemp.

After receiving a report from the NC State Bureau of Investigations that hemp and marijuana were indistinguishable in field tests, the GCJAC made recommendations to the City Council and GPD that marijuana should be de-prioritized in the City of Greensboro. (See see link to full report on page 15). Bias-Based Policing The City Manager’s Office and GPD asked the GCJAC to review purposed changes to the GPD policy on bias-based policing. The commission’s objective was to review current and purposed changes to the policy and compare it with others across the country. After reviewing polices of many different police agencies, the GCJAC submitted its recommendations to the City Manager’s Office on December 2020.

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