Activists accuse ACPD of biased policing
From July 1, 2021, to February 28, 2022, 20 percent of drivers stopped by the Albemarle County Police Department were Black, though Black residents make up only 9.6 percent of the county’s driving-age population, according to a 2022 traffic stop data report released by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services in October. The report used data collected through the Community Policing Act, which requires law enforcement agencies to collect demographic information during traffic and investigatory stops in an effort to prevent biased policing.
The People’s Coalition, a local advocacy group, urged the ACPD and county Board of Supervisors to address racially biased policing in a letter on October 25, claiming the department has neglected to do so for years. In 2020, 20 percent of drivers issued traffic summons by county cops were Black. In 2021, that number was 16.6 percent, according to the department’s annual reports.
“Racial profiling and biased-based policing are serious issues that also impact the trust of the department in the community, so necessary for effective law enforcement,” reads the letter. “The refusal of ACPD to even acknowledge that the disparity in policing must be studied and rectified points to a failure of oversight.”
However, the ACPD argues the Criminal Justice Services report does not provide an accurate depiction of its traffic stop demographics.
“Data tells us that less than half of drivers stopped by ACPD are residents of Albemarle County,” said Col. Sean Reeves in a statement to C-VILLE. “We do not have a demographic breakdown of drivers on Albemarle County roadways.”
“I don’t think we have a problem with bias policing in Albemarle county at all,” Capt. Darrell Byers told CBS19.
Reeves stressed that all ACPD personnel undergo mandatory training to prevent biased-based policing. The department’s Internal Affairs office and Command Staff also regularly monitor for potential cases of racial profiling, he said.
“In 2021, ACPD received a total of 34 complaints out of 64,400 encounters for the year,” added Reeves. “We encourage anyone to come forward if they feel a complaint is warranted. Every single complaint is investigated.”
In its letter, the coalition pointed to the case of ACPD detective Andrew Holmes as a reason why Black people may not come forward with complaints. From 2016 to 2017, eight Black residents filed five lawsuits against Holmes, who is white, accusing him of targeting Black people for traffic stops and search warrants. In 2015, 51 percent of the summons Holmes issued were to Black people, though the sectors of the county he worked in were only 18 percent Black. That same year, 22 percent of tickets issued by county cops were to Black people.
According to lawyer Jeff Fogel, all of the lawsuits against Holmes have been consolidated into one case. The parties negotiated a settlement this fall, but one plaintiff refused to accept the settlement. Fogel’s motion to enforce the settlement for the other plaintiffs is currently pending.
“When African American motorists did complain in the past, nothing happened,” reads the letter. Last year, the ACPD gave Holmes a Detective of the Year award.
Board of Supervisors Chair Donna Price agrees with the ACPD that the Criminal Justice Services report “should not automatically be concluded to have everything correct.”
“ACPD’s mandatory trainings … equip Albemarle County’s officers to prevent bias-based policing; and I am confident in Chief Reeves’ commitment to ensuring compliance,” Price told C-VILLE in an email, speaking only for herself. “However, [I] take any such report seriously and will engage to ensure that policing in the County is transparent, fair, and always with protection of our County safety at the forefront.”
In brief
Out on bond
Shane Dennis—who was charged on October 24 for placing a noose around the Homer statue’s neck at the University of Virginia in September—was released from the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail on November 3 after posting a $10,000 bond. Dennis, an Albemarle County resident, also agreed to receive mental health services, and abide by UVA’s no trespass order.
Jewish sign stolen
The Charlottesville and UVA police departments are searching for a person who stole a “Welcome Jewish students” banner from the front porch of the Chabad House—home to a Jewish student organization—on Lewis Mountain Road at around 12:05am on October 25. The suspect, who appears to be a white man wearing black clothing, was caught on camera, and left the scene in a blue Toyota pick-up truck. Anyone with information should contact the CPD at 970-3280.
Still manager-less
During its November 7 meeting, Charlottesville City Council extended the city’s contract with The Robert Bobb Group once again, citing the need for interim City Manager Michael Rogers’ support during multiple ongoing and upcoming projects—including hiring a new police chief and developing the fiscal year 2024 budget. The contract will expire on December 31, 2023, unless council appoints a permanent city manager before then.
Rent relief available
Charlottesville and Albemarle County residents experiencing economic hardships due to the pandemic can now receive up to $1,000 per month—and up to $3,000 per year—for rental, mortgage, or utility assistance. Those in need of aid can call the Community Resources Hotline at (833) 524-2904 from 9am to 5pm, Monday through Friday. The Spanish line number is 373-0930.
