HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES SHOULD NOT UTILIZE THEIR RESOURCES TO AID POLICE EFFORTS TO PACIFY AND SILENCE PROTESTORS!

This is an amended petition that originally had the demand for the immediate removal of law enforcement personnel from the Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) Dorms.

On April 30th, 2021, ECSU released a statement announcing the removal of said personnel citing "that hotel rooms and other accommodations in the area have become available as members of the media and other visitors leave the city." The statement also explained their original decision to house bused-in officers with the intent of supporting local police's response to protests on behalf of Andrew Brown Jr. "We operated under our mutual aid agreement at the request of the City of Elizabeth City consistent with our responsibility as a state agency."

While we are thrilled at this swift and appropriate decision to remove the police officers from the the campus residencies, the released statement does not indicate this as a permanent decision or solution. Protests and other direct actions are still occurring in Elizabeth City and as the community awaits for the Pasquotank County Sheriff's office to release the body cam footage of Andrew Brown Jr.'s Killing, we want to ensure that a decision like this doesn't happen again in the future. 

Concerned Alumni and current students of Elizabeth City State University, Elizabeth City Residents, and other concerned parties are requesting an emergency joint city council and county commissioners meeting to address the execution of the city and county's mutual aid agreement and practices.

We request unanimous resolution to the demands listed below:

*These demands are solely related to the ongoing protests surrounding the tragic death of Andrew Brown Jr.

• The City of Elizabeth City and/or Pasquotank County will not request to use the grounds, facilities, or likeness of Elizabeth City State University to house law enforcement or other public safety related entities (North Carolina Department of Public Safety) Exemptions to this demand would include fire and emergency medical services (EMS), their equipment, and their personnel. 
• No over-patrolling of the Elizabeth City State University campus grounds and facilities 
• The meeting minutes be made accessible to the public and un-redacted
• And the allowance of members of the press to cover this meeting live      

 

You can see the original petition below:

On April 28th 2021, Elizabeth City State University released a statement informing the public about their decision to house police officers from other jurisdictions who are supporting local police.

The Elizabeth City community is rightfully responding in protest to the egregious killing of Andrew Brown Jr. and the lack of accountability and transparency that soon followed. It's extremely insensitive to support law enforcement in their plight to silence and diminish the community's efforts and calls for justice. We have seen police in riot gear tear gas, beat, brutalize, and arrest peaceful protestors in cities around the country. Busing in additional members of law enforcement not only increases tension at the protests, but it also puts Elizabeth City community members at risk for the same unlawful treatment to which protestors in other cities have been subjected. It is inappropriate for an HBCU to use its resources to aid in the police's efforts to pacify a righteously angry and grieving community. It furthermore sends a message that the university is supporting the same public agencies that are a direct threat and danger to the Black students that attend this school. What happened to Andrew Brown Jr., Dautnte Wright, George Floyd, and Ma'Khia Bryant could easily happen to any of the students that call ECSU home. 

We are demanding the immediate removal of all law enforcement personnel from the residence halls on the campus of Elizabeth City State University. We are also directly calling on The UNC Board of Governors, UNC-System President Peter Hans & Chief of Staff Norma Houston, Elizabeth City Mayor Bettie J. Parker, and ECSU Chancellor Karrie G. Dixon to take the necessary steps to meet this demand. 

Members The UNC Board of Governors:

Randy Ramsey, Chairperson
Wendy Floyd Murphy, Vice Chairperson
Pearl Burris-Floyd
C. Philip Byers
Carolyn Coward
James L. Holmes, Jr.
Terry Hutchens
Anna Spangler Nelson
Art Pope
Temple Sloan
Michael Williford
Kellie Hunt Blue
Jimmy D. Clark
N. Leo Daughtry
Thomas C. Goolsby
Reginald Ronald Holley
Mark Holton
J. Alex Mitchell
David Powers
Joel Ford
John A. Fraley
Sonja Nichols
Kirk Bradley
Lee Roberts