Group appears at Fayetteville city council meeting to push for citizens review board

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) — The Fayetteville City Council had a special meeting Monday night to talk about ways to improve community relations with the police department.

“We are asking them to think as humans, and for our whole community to embrace common-sense policy,” said Shaun McMillan, co-founder of Fayetteville Police Accountability Community Task Force (PACT).

City leaders are discussing the possibility of a community review board, which Fayetteville PACT has been advocating for.

Mayor Mitch Colvin says they would need state legislative changes before they can appoint a review board.

“Right now, they’re restricted by state law to be able to look at personnel files or the results of investigations, so we’ll need some state law changed,” Colvin said.  

Shaun says the review board process can at least get started without the state stepping in.

“It just means less can be released to the public when they have the final findings, it doesn’t mean you can’t conduct an investigation or have an oversight authority,” McMillan said.

Colvin said that “thresholds” need to be in place for a review board.

“I think we have one of the most proactive departments in the country, but I think we have to quantify it and put some thresholds there so that regardless of who the leadership is, that’s the law of the land,” Colvin said.  

Fayetteville PACT wants to make sure there is independent oversight over the police department and the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.  

“Reimagine public safety and allocating resources in accordance with what we know is best for our community,” McMillan said.