N. Charleston police persist in profiling

North Charleston Police Chief Jon Zumalt took the leadership of the Charleston Branch NAACP to task in The Post and Courier of Feb. 2 for criticizing "tactics" used by the NCPD in certain neighborhoods and stated that the time had come to "set the record straight."

I fully agree and am also prepared to set the record straight: Racial profiling isn't just a "policing tactic" -- it's illegal.

My first introduction to the chief resulted from a remark he made shortly after he was hired in the wake of the Asberry Wylder killing by the NCPD. It was offensive to the minority community. The chief later stated that he was aware of the NCPD's past record and was committed to changing its culture. While he later apologized for his offensive statement, the chief's sanctioning of racial profiling in the African-American and Latino communities suggests that he may have become part of the culture. The chief suggested that the NAACP refuses to come to the table. That's not true. We've been denied but never invited. In setting the record straight, the Charleston Branch NAACP offers the following facts:

I have participated in an all-day training with the NCPD, national law enforcement agencies and other minority community stakeholders.

The chief refused to meet with me in spite of findings by his internal investigation personnel that validated a complaint I personally made.

The requested meeting was not granted until my inquiry into clearance to hold a press conference in front of city hall.

When the meeting was finally granted, the chief, the mayor and an African-American minister were in attendance. After questioning the reason for the presence of the minister, I later requested a follow-up meeting without the minister and the chief denied the request.

The NAACP has always stood ready to meet with the chief -- if we have equal input and clarity on the agenda and on those in attendance. The chief stated that he has set a "zero tolerance" policy toward unlawful behavior. That policy should then first and foremost be applied to all of those hired to protect and serve. The unlawful behavior of officers of the law should not be condoned under any circumstance. Yes, officers are human, but so are the citizens.

Many who have shared concerns of abuse of power by officers with the North Charleston and Charleston branches of the NAACP have reported that walking on the wrong side of the street, standing in the wrong place and riding bicycles apparently qualify as "unlawful behavior" in their communities and lead to police scrutiny and searches. The NAACP branches have received numerous complaints about the NCPD's biased tactics and its effort to "sell the stop."

Unlawful stops by law enforcers should not be for sale. For those who continue to be treated unfairly, we'll continue with our core mission as a civil rights organization. We are not a social agency. It should also be noted that citizens are encouraged to register their complaint within the NCPD's Internal Affairs Division. Many of the complainants choose to remain anonymous for fear of selective and negative police attention. Others bravely filed complaints only to find that their complaints were either ignored or minimized.

The chief noted the statistical reduction in violent crime. When did rolling stops, tail-light malfunctions, late-turn signaling and third-light violations become violent crimes? While I applaud the reduction in violent crimes, I stop short of celebrating simply because racial profiling is illegal and the end does not justify the means.

To truly set the record straight, the chief should not only provide statistical data on crime but also on the number of vehicular and pedestrian stops by neighborhood and race, the reason for the initial stops, how many were warnings, the amount of fines levied, and the disposition of every stop, including those on foot and bicycles. He should also permit unrestricted public and media scrutiny of all related police dashboard camera videos to show what it means to "sell the stop."

Finally, with so many interactions between citizens and law enforcers in these communities, surely there must be some complaints from citizens. They should be made available for scrutiny as well.

The City of North Charleston can and should do better in its treatment of all residents, not only with policing, but with all resources, opportunities and level of respect. I refuse to believe otherwise. So until such time, we'll continue our efforts to make it so.

Dot S. Scott, a North Charleston resident, is Charleston Branch NAACP president.