Black drivers stopped twice as often as Whites in Fayetteville, study says; Officials seek answers

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. (WTVD) -- Fayetteville's city officials are reviewing options to address a report that shows Black drivers being stopped by police at higher rates than drivers of other races and ethnicities. Some residents say the problem is affecting public trust in law enforcement.

Milton Mceachern said he's been pulled over by the police multiple times, and that he's resorted to riding the bus.

"I felt like they were picking on me really. Because it seemed like every time they would leave the house, it would be one somewhere just sitting there like they were waiting on me to pull out so they could stop me," Mceachern said.

Barber Ed Evans said that after getting stopped multiple times, seeing police officers on the road makes him nervous.

"You never know what's on (their) mind, what they have, what they're going to do to you," Evans said. "So that's what's going through my mind when the police are behind me."

Fayetteville City Council's Public Safety Committee is exploring options to reduce the disproportionate rates of Black drivers getting stopped in comparison to drivers of other races, following a report from the Vera Institute of Justice.

The Fayetteville Police Department reported that in 2023, Black drivers made up 64% of traffic stops in contrast to 32% of the stops being for White drivers, despite people of all races being searched and found with contraband at similar rates. The U.S. Census says Black people make up more than 42% of Fayetteville's population compared to 39% White residents.

"I think the onus is absolutely on the city council to see what role we can play. We can't do it all. This is certainly a cycle that needs to be broken at multiple points, but it's high time that we take responsibility for our part in this harassment of a large section of our community," said Councilmember Mario Benavente.

Councilmember Courtney Banks-McLaughlin said that as a Black woman, she empathizes with residents and drivers who feel targeted by their race, and urged people to come forward with complaints if they feel profiled by the police. Banks-McLaughlin weighed in on what she said she believes should be the next steps.

"Bringing stakeholders to the table, allowing the community to have some input because it's the community that's experiencing this -- so just finding the root cause to this," she said.

The Fayetteville Police Department has not responded to ABC11's request for comment.