So. Where are we with the aftermath of protesters being evicted from office buildings they have occupied? Clearly, the Mayor of Carrboro has proven that it’s better to send in ice cream than SERT.
 
The powers-that-be in Chapel Hill may be moving in much the same direction. This past week has seen a flurry of media interviews, in which the Chapel Hill Town Manager and Chief of Police have admitted essentially, and at long last, that they got the use of SERT wrong, when evicting protesters from the Yates Building last November.
 
They have also released answers to 45 questions that had been put to them by the Chapel Hill Town Council’s Community Policing Advisory board (CPAB). I’m afraid those answers prove that there are still many more questions that need asking.
 
Chapel Hill Town Council have offered a passive web-site, where folks can submit their thoughts on the Yates incident. But what is still required is more active investigation.
 
The problem is that CPAB have already made clear that, as a fully volunteer organization, they have neither the time nor the resources to undertake such an investigation. But, perhaps, Jim Neal’s proposed Independent Review Commission could step in, and perform that function for CPAB?
 
CPAB and the Commission, working together, could then submit to the Town Council a final factual timeline of Yates, along with recommendations for changes to Policing policy going forward.
 
One of the recommendations would surely have to be greater citizen oversight of Policing policy and strategy in the future. Perhaps undertaken by CPAB? But a CPAB granted more independence and its own funding.
 
That’s my take.

Related Stories
‹
Thousands Participate in CPR Training World Record Attempt, With Orange County Among Leaders
It’s not every day that there’s a world record attempt in North Carolina, let alone locally. But on Wednesday, Orange County served as a hub for an effort to break the record for single-day hands-only CPR trainings. As people walked up to grab their groceries or a coffee from Weaver Street Market in Carrboro […]
Carrboro: Legislative Breakfast, Delaying Weaver Street Pilot, Town Council Meeting
Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, February 20, discussing town news and events. She discussed the legislative breakfast that town leaders had with state and U.S. legislators. She also talked about the town council's unanimous decision to delay the East Weaver Street closure pilot after numerous logistical questions from stakeholders. She recapped the rest of the town council meeting, discussed upcoming events, including the rescheduled Carrboro Film Fest, and more.
Carrboro Town Council 'Pauses' Proposed East Weaver Street Pilot Closure
A pilot plan to close E. Weaver St. to traffic on weekends was set to begin April 17, but the Carrboro Town Council is delaying it by a year.
Carrboro Man, Chatham County Schools Staffer Arrested on Child Exploitation Charges
Christopher James Rex, 40, faces ten counts of second-degree sexual exploitation of a minor following an SBI investigation.
Extraordinary Thrift Store In Carrboro Sets February Opening Date
Extraordinary Thrift Store in Carrboro, formerly CommunityWorx Thrift Store, announced it will open to the public on Friday, Feb. 27.
Carrboro's E. Weaver Street to Close to Vehicles Every Weekend in April, Temporary Bike-Ped Plaza
Starting in April, Carrboro’s East Weaver Street will be closed to vehicles every weekend — the town's next step in reimagining East Weaver.
Local Government Meetings: February 9-13, 2025
This week in local government: residents in Chatham County push back against Flock license-plate cameras and AI data centers.
Carrboro: Comprehensive Plan, Black History, Refreshed Website
Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, February 6, discussing town news and events. She talked about the recent meeting of the town council, which saw an update on the town's comprehensive plan. She also talked about the council directing town staff to see if there are more support options for unhoused residents. She discussed some of the town's numerous Black History Month events, talked about the recently refreshed town website, and more.
Local Government Meetings: February 2-6, 2026
This week in local government: Durham considers the RTP's long-term development plans, and Carrboro gets an update on its comprehensive plan.
Carrboro: Storm Response, Carrboro Works, Weaver Street Reimagined
Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee spoke with 97.9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Friday, January 30, discussing town news and events. She talked about the previous weekend's winter storm, the upcoming weekend's winter storm, and Carrboro Works superior performance through the storm in spite of still not having a home after this summer's flooding. She also discussed a proposed upcoming pilot to "Reimagining East Weaver Street," which would see the block closed to vehicle traffic on weekends for a six month period, and more.
›