BCSO Resumes Downtown Patrols sans APD Alliance: A Shakeup
TL/DR –
The Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) has started its own patrol program in Asheville’s Central Business District in response to public safety concerns. This comes after a failed collaboration attempt with the Asheville Police Department, and a subsequent plea from local businesses for increased law enforcement presence. The BCSO patrols run on Fridays and Saturdays from 10pm to 2am, and are scheduled to continue through June.
Enhanced Public Safety Initiatives for Downtown Asheville
Reflecting on a failed joint venture between the Asheville Police Department (APD) and the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), the BCSO has initiated its own public safety project in Asheville’s Central Business District. Launched in response to a letter from downtown businesses, weekend night patrols commenced on January 26, 2023, and are scheduled to continue through June.
The initiative aims to address safety concerns voiced by local businesses and follows a 60-day pilot program by the APD that ended seven months ago. The conditions downtown reportedly worsened when the pilot ended, despite promises of an ongoing effort from the city.
Owners and workers from over 30 downtown businesses, including The Market Place restaurant and Mayfel’s, expressed concerns about safety and cleanliness in a letter addressed to Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer, City Manager Debra Campbell, and the Asheville City Council. The letter also reached the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, sparking conversations between BCSO personnel and downtown businesses.
A New Era of Collaboration
Past collaboration between the county’s two largest law enforcement agencies has been challenging, especially regarding downtown. Nonetheless, the recent installation of interim Chief Mike Lamb has renewed hope for future collaboration between the APD and BCSO.
As part of the new initiative, the BCSO has proposed a model that includes regular patrol teams downtown, each consisting of a BCSO deputy and an APD officer. The plan, which was approved by the Buncombe County Board of Commissioners, is estimated to cost $56,000 if the APD participates. The initiative is funded by surplus funds from the BCSO school resource officer program, with deputies volunteering for the downtown patrols at an overtime pay rate of $75 an hour.
Addressing Root Causes of Crime
Alongside patrols, BCSO’s proposal includes a revised policing strategy targeting the root causes of increased crime downtown: inadequate law enforcement presence, lack of housing and treatment services for the homeless, and insubstantial collaboration between stakeholders serving the homeless.
To address these multilayered issues, BCSO has hired Kendra Queen as project manager to expand the sheriff’s co-responder model, which prioritizes care over arrests when feasible. The model, which is currently being coordinated and is set to be implemented in the future, is planned to include training programs for first responders on mental health issues and de-escalation skills.
Through these multifaceted efforts, BCSO aims to holistically improve safety and cleanliness in Asheville’s Central Business District. Sheriff Miller plans to release data and an assessment of the downtown patrols by the end of April.
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