Asheville Police

A report commissioned by the city of Asheville criticizes two Asheville police officers for not intervening when a then city police officer was beating and choking an unarmed black pedestrian last August. 

Former Asheville police officer Chris Hickman will not face federal charges for his role in the beating of an unarmed black man last August, the office of U.S.

In a move that supporters believe will aid in reducing racial disparities in the city, Asheville police will soon have to get written consent to search vehicles they’ve pulled over instead of just asking for it as is done currently.  City council approved the switch Tuesday by a 5-2 vote.  Cases where police have ‘probable cause’ to search a vehicle that’s been stopped will not be affected. 

Asheville police say four people are dead and three others were injured in a shooting that occurred late Wednesday evening in West Asheville.  The suspect in the case, identified as 35-year-old Maurice Laron Garner, is among the deceased.  Police say he died from a self inflicted gunshot wound.  He was found in a vehicle not far from the residence on Hansel Avenue where the shooting took place.

Nine body camera videos were released via court order Monday that depict the beating of an unarmed black man last August and its aftermath by a then-Asheville police officer, who now faces criminal charges for the incident.

Asheville city council is scheduled to meet twice on Tuesday, its first regularly scheduled meetings since the release of a body camera video that showed a then-city police officer beating an unarmed black man last year.  

Asheville city council has called a closed session special meeting for Monday evening to discuss a video released this week showing a then-Asheville police officer beating an unarmed black man last August.  The video, published by the Asheville Citizen-Times, shows officer Chris Hickman beating and shocking with a stun gun Johnnie Jermaine Rush.  Hickman had stopped Rush for suspected jaywalking and trespassing August 24th. 

Efforts to promote racial and ethnic equity in Asheville should include community forums focusing on traffic stop data from city police.  That’s one of many recommendations a study group that’s proposing a ‘human relations commission’ in Asheville gave to city council Tuesday.  That group is also asking the city to expand its Office of Equity and Inclusion from one to four employees.  The current head of that office, Kimberlee Archie, was just hired last year. 

Buncombe County District Attorney Todd Williams announced Thursday there will be no charges filed against the Asheville police officer who shot and killed Jai Williams at the Dearview Apartments on July 2nd.  Todd Williams said  Sergeant Tyler Radford was 'justified' in shooting Jai Williams, who reportedly had been firing a rifle from his vehicle at the Pisgah View Apartments and leading police on a high speed chase prior to the shooting.  His death came as the national debate over police-involved shooting deaths of black men was reaching a fever pitch.

Governor Pat McCrory signed a bill on Monday making it harder for the public to gain access to police body camera footage. In response, the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union says citizens should be prepared to film law enforcement encounters themselves.

Tammy Hooper, a deputy chief of police in Alexandria, Virginia, and a 26-year veteran of law enforcement is the new police chief in Asheville.

City officials announced to local media outlets that Hooper will start work on July 20. She is the city's first female police chief, and its third chief in four years. She replaces William Anderson, who resigned amid controversy last year.

The Asheville City Council is scheduled to vote on buying body cameras for the police department.

The Asheville Citizen-Times reports the City Council is set to vote on the purchase of 60 cameras that could be worn on various parts of the body, including the head or shoulder. The vote is scheduled during a regular Tuesday council meeting.