c1
>> I ould like to call our
OCTOBER 27th fayetteville city
council meeting to order.
Welcome.
We see a lot of new faces.
Good to see you.
Also those that join us remotely
we thank you.
At this time we will begin with
the invocation and ask debra
kinser from the pentecostal
fellowship church.
>> good evening.
>> if you can stand for the
prayer immediately if we can
repeat the pledge of allegiance?
>> if you can bow please.
Heavenly father we come before
you tonight in the mighty name
of jesus.
We thank you for your hand upon
this great city of fayetteville,
north carolina.
A city of purpose, praise and
destiny.
Father we invite your holy
spirit to come into this council
chamber tonight.
Matthew 28 states for where two
or more are gathered together in
my name I am in their midst.
We declare and decree that your
wisdom low through every
COUNCILMAN For every decision
and every word spoken let the
spirit of unity and the
righteousness reign over this
meeting.
Heavenly father, we declare the
fayetteville belongs to you.
We speak life over the city of
fayetteville.
We decree blessings over the
leaders, our neighborhoods, our
schools and the families.
Let this be the city where your
love flows through and is shown
through our services where we
hope it is restored and we're
just
justjustice rolls down lie
water.
We fill this chamber with your
presence.
Bring clarity and gratitude to
every heart y guiding it with
your holy spirit.
We thank you heavenly father in
ordinance of divine direction
for the blessed and faithful
work that is bestowed upon the
city of fayetteville.
City council and cumberland
county sheriff's department and
departments of social services,
board of education and every
county public service department
you have touched through these
leaders.
As we close, heavenly father, we
thank you again and it is done
as we decree in the mighty name
of jesus, the name of the
father, son and holy spirit amen
and amen and amen.
>>
of the united states of america,
and to the republic, for which
it stands, one nation, under
GOD, indivisible, with liberty
and justice for all. Thank you
pastor if you want to tell us
about yourself or your ministry
that you are affiliated with?
>> I'm debra kinser an assistant
for first pentecostal fellowship
and world wide ministries.
The presiding pastors over it is
apostle frederick nuoso and fred
an
nuoso
nuoso.
We have a church here off of
mcarthur street.
We are building it back because
it felt apart for a minute there
due to the 2020 recession thing
that we had going on for covid
you know so we're trying to
build that back up.
We have some ministries called
global peace missions helping
people to build their lives
again around the world.
We have also headed by
evangelist linda branch cora's
closet.
She's part of the ministry and
is ne of our evangelists and we
have pastor erry who is doing a
lot of different work with the
motorcycle clubs.
I forget what he called the
ministry but he's doing those
works and head kingdom sos.
>> thank you.
Let's give pastor kins see
kinsey a round of applause.
Keep up the good work nd
congratulations on rebuilding
and we know you will continue to
do great things.
Thank you for coming to join us
and pray for us tonight.
We have a special recognition
and I'll turn that over to
council member thompson and I
think MR. Brook redding took
care of that from the parks and
rec taff perspective.
>> thank you MR. Mayor.
It was our initiative where we
did the youth curfew ordinance
to incorporate a junior mayor
for the city of fayetteville.
This is one program I thought
would be pertinent for us to
communicate with our youth to
find out what their needs and
desires are and that
presentation will be done today
on who our taff has appointed.
MR. Brook will come and give us
a small briefing and introduce
our new junior mayor.
>> good evening mayor and
council.
Sorry to walk in there.
senior assistant to the city
manager's office so I don't see
them here but back in MAY we
were given instruction to
establish a junior mayor program
with the F.Y. Y c and that was
helped with mike gibson and his
team and they have redone, go
ahead and come up, and
implemented this so that the
chair formerly is now the junior
mayor.
[Applause]
>> hi everyone.
[Applause]
Yeah so good evening mayor and
council.
First I want to thank GOD for
this opportunity for guiding me
on this journey.
I'm honored to be standing here
today as the newly inducted
junior mayor of fayetteville.
To y family and friends and
mentor has the thank you for
supporting me and pushing me to
grow as a leader.
I want to recognize my family
here tonight.
It's crowded but I saw my family
right there.
>> stand up family, stand up
family.
[Applause]
>> alright.
>> that's my fmily.
It's much igger but that's my
family.
Your love and encouragement
means the world to me.
To my youth council family thank
you for being part of my
leadership journey.
You inspire me with your passion
and dedication and creativity.
I'd like to recognize my
executive board and other
members of the council.
This first three rows.
If you guys can stand up?
[Applause]
>> alright.
>> we just had our second
meeting of the year last monday
and they are doing phenomenal
already.
The next time I report I will
share the projects they are
working on.
Good job guys.
[Applause]
Yes.
As junior mayor I'm excited to
continue the work for
fayetteville to listen, serve
and make sure your voices are
heard.
Thank you all again for trusting
me with this role and I'm
grateful and otivated and ready
to continue to work for
fayetteville.
[Applause]
>> alright.
Well thank yu.
We are glad to welcome you MADAM
Mayor.
We look forward to great things.
I didn't mean to steal your
light.
>> I want to add the symposium
they had.
This was a young individual on
the stage and this was their
feedback on what our youth are
looking for in the city of
fayetteville to make us the
all-american can do city that we
are so give it up for these
youth doing great things for
fayetteville.
[Applause]
Come on back up here MADAM
Mayor.
>> alright.
Again we thank you so much and
look forward to the great things
that you all will do.
Continue doing in our community,
our future is bright.
I'm encouraged.
When I need to call it a sick
I'll call you so be around to
take it on.
Thank you for joining our
family.
It is a product of your work and
investment so thank you for what
you have contributed to our
city, as well.
Council with that we'll move
from there to the announcement
section.
I didn't see anything.
Council member benavente?
>> thank you.
I wanted to let everyone know
this coming saturday NOVEMBER
first of 2025 at 10:00 A.M. In
downtown fayetteville the
veteran's council invites the
community to come together in
celebration of our nation's
heroes at the veteran's day
parade this saturday FEBRUARY
first at downtown fayetteville
and this year's theme is
highlighting a military
community.
>> thank you sir.
Council with that we'll move to,
we have our assistant city
manager MS. Can kelly
strickland.
>> good evening.
I'm honored to fill in for DR.
Hewitt tonight and have one item
for the manager's report and I'd
like to invite to the podium
please, MR. Willie henry, john
wesley.
MR. Adam faulkner and kenneth
minore.
>> ya'll in trouble fellas.
Come bearing gifts, huh?
>> absolutely they do.
The city of fayetteville has
earned double recognition from
the national association of
government web professionals.
Our team was awarded with both
the pinnacle award and the
members choice award in the city
county medium group category
comprised of to 221 thousand.
They impressed judges with
excellence in content,
organization, design,
performance and accessibility
while also resonating with the n
agw members who selected it as
their top choice.
This dual honor is the effort to
make a digital community and
setting a high standard for
government design and this as a
national award.
>> congratulations.
>> thank you.
I think it's important to point
it is is not just the team here.
There is a large team behind
I.T. And a large team behind
them and then we have managers
in all the departments and it
was all the work coming together
to make this award possible.
>> we hank ou for the work you
do for the city.
What you do is so valuable
behind the scenes and out front.
The city could not run without
technology so thank you for
that.
Congratulations.
[Applause]
>> quick photo.
>> congratulations.
Now before we take this picture
the gentlemen that's in mid
financial you can slide to your
left or right.
That's good.
Alright.
Congratulations guys.
Alright.
>> that's all I have this
evening.
>> thank you s. Strickland.
we appreciate it.
6.0 approval of the agenda.
We'll look for motion to approve
and is banks-mclaughlin on?
Good evening.
>> yes, good evening.
>> motion by council member
haire?
I'm sorry.
>> I'd like to move 9.0 agenda
items to be placed before 8.0
agenda items.
>> so 9 point section the public
hearing items will come
following consent in your
motion?
>> yes, sir.
>> motion to approve with the
changes seconded by michael
harris any discussion?
Council look for your votes.
>> greene.
>> who else are we missing?
Motion carries.
Moving to the tems that were
we'll look for on consent.
Motion for consent?
Council member thompson?
>> move that we prove the
consent agenda MR. Mayor?
>> move to approve and seconded
by haire.
Looks like.
Council member benavente?
>> this MAY be for the city
attorney or the city manager.
There was a vote taken upstairs
to move the work session that
was cheduled for NOVEMBER 3rd
to NOVEMBER 10.
Is that considered to be part of
this consent agenda because I
want to make sure I don't give
approval for what I felt like
was an in proper motion?
>> no sir.
>> thank you.
>> council, I look for your
votes.
Council member banks-mclaughlin?
>> greene.
>> motion carries.
Council moving to the public
hearing items.
It's time for the public hearing
and we're preparing to hold the
public hearing with the city
council formerly seeks your
input.
Individuals must've signed up
with city clerk by name and
address before the start of the
meeting tonight.
We'll begin with a staff
presentation and then move into
the formal hearing.
15 minutes will be allowed for
those in favor and apposed of
the item.
Individual seakers are limited
to three minutes each unless by
previous arrangement a single
spokesman has been designated
and in which case they can use
the entire 15 minutes.
When the clerk calls your name
come to the podium and state
your name and address for the
record and address the counsel.
When the light changes to amber
you have 30 seconds remaining
and then the light will turn
red.
I'll turn it to you MR. Harmon.
Council member davis?
>> per the applicant they were
asking for this to be tabled so
I will move that we table this.
>> which item?
>> 9.01 for the rezoning.
>> did you have any more clarity
on that MR. Harmon what's behind
this?
>> according to the e-mail that
the clerk's office got the owner
of this property is out of the
country due to an emergency
situation.
>> okay.
This is a motion to table is
there a date?
>> I move we table it to JANUARY
26th.
2026.
>> so JANUARY?
>> JANUARY 26th, 2026.
>> okay.
Is there a second to that?
Seconded by council member
hondros.
Any discussion?
Council member benavente?
>> this is maybe still the
question phase, MR. Mayor but I
don't know if there's clarity on
how many times a request has
been made by the applicant to
move the gold post on this
discussion.
This is not the first time is
it?
>> it's not.
So this s an appeal.
It was appealed to your meeting
in AUGUST and in AUGUST they
asked his be tabled until this
meeting.
>> why?
Do you remember the reason for
that?
>> at that point they had the
representative that was coming
that night had a medical
condition.
>> so medical emergencies every
time?
Allegedly?
>> that's what we've been told.
>> you have any record of how
many people came to speak at the
previous occasions?
>> I believe, MS. Clerk?
>> yes, sir. At the AUGUST 25th
meeting there were six speakers
in opposition and one speaker in
favor and we have the, well we
have six speakers in opposition
tonight and two in favor.
>> if there's no other questions
I reserve the opportunity to
comment.
>> this is the question phase so
motion and second.
>> if there's no other questions
for anyone else?
>> we're going to take the vote.
>> I'll take this opportunity to
say we have citizens that have
been diligent organizing around
this issue and it's no small
feat for folks to come into city
hall and now this is the second
time they've organized and come
here and it seems like if the
shoe was not on the other foot,
so at a certain point a judge
will tell the attorneys you have
had enough continuances so this
time try your matter and all of
us here are serving as decision
makers and today would be the
day to say you have had enough
of continuance and everyone is
here to speak so I vote against
this.
>> thank you COUNCILMAN.
We'll look to you on the davis,
hondros motion to continue to 1
1/26/26.
I look for your vote.
Council member banks-mclaughlin?
>> red.
>> MADAM?
That carries so those voting
against council member benavente
and council member
banks-mclaughlin, the rest are
voting for.
MR. Harmon or MADAM Attorney, as
mentioned like a court she's
been three continuances.
So we need to hear it or dispose
of it?
>> member of the body could
include that in a motion.
>> I think we just voted on that
one.
>> can take another motion from
the floor.
>> well complicated but I think
that's something that needs to
be communicated in respect of
time.
At some point of course do say
after two or three times.
>> I'm willing to make the
motion but I do have a question
before the motion.
So when did the e-mail come in
that they were not going to be
able to be here?
>> it was originally, let me
pull that up to make sure I have
it correct but the official
request to table was friday
OCTOBER 10th and I respond on
monday OCTOBER 13th.
>> so my next question is, when
we have six people here that
signed up, did we call them?
>> actually I called the ones
that we had phone numbers for.
We did not have phone numbers
for everyone of them but I did
call the ones we had numbers
for.
I'm going back to what was said.
This is the second night they
have come so we have ample time
-
but what it was motion again?
>> just to do a new motion just
to impress if the council passes
this to imply or communicate
that this was the last
continuance.
>> that third time is it?
>> they can withdrawal or start
over.
Over.
>> so I make a motion if the
applicant does not show up at
the next one on JANUARY 26th, I
think it was, that they will
need to withdrawal the
application and start all over.
>> you had a question?
Council member hondros?
Motion by mayor pro-tem and
second by haire.
question council member hondros?
>> I don't know if I can support
this if this is not part of our
policy and we've not done this
before, I think MR. Mayor you
mentioned communicating
council's desire of that.
I just don't want them treated
any different than anybody else.
This is something we can look at
policy committee or any other
committee of putting in our
policies or creative ordinances
but if there's no limit to this
codified in our code of
ordinances or policies I don't
know why we treat this applicant
different than any other.
>> I can retract that and say
take it back to the policy
committee, but I also think that
we need to in the policy
committee talking about getting
phone numbers.
>> well let me say this.
My purpose was to be able to
communicate some reasonable
expectations to the applicant to
say if this is something that's
held our docket twice so I don't
know it needs to be a policy
change for the board to wales
have discretion as to when to
apply guidance for people
because they are holding space,
I understand emergencies happen
but a court shall hear them as
council member benavente said,
this will be the next time or
the last time.
If that needs to be wrapped up
in a motion, but I think this is
really to see if the board had
the will to communicate that.
It doesn't necessary have to be
an ordinance or resolution but
it will just be something that
can be communicated on behalf of
the council when they notify the
applicant of his approved
continuance so are you still
okay with that?
>> I'd need to hear the motion
restated.
>> a alright.
N alright.
>> so if I get it right, the
motion is to make sure that the
applicant is aware that if he or
she does not show up on JANUARY
26th, 2023 that they will have
to start the pplication
process.
2026.
I'm so sorry.
JANUARY 26th, 2026 that they
will have o start the process
over.
>> and if I MAY, as well MR.
Mayor, I think we can say that
they will not get another
continuance but I don't think we
can force them o withdrawal.
>> that's better.
We'll not give another
continuance.
>> alright.
COUNCILMAN Haire and thompson?
>> now we don't have policy for
on-going items to be continued
then are you aying that it's
out of order or not moved to go
forward to the policy committee
at least for some discussions of
this because this is something
that could continue to come
forward again.
>> so the only thing I was
saying is that was hondros
position but I'm saying the body
or board needs discretion
because each situation is
different.
You wouldn't want to make a firm
policy that you would have to
make an exception for.
Saying you get only three and
then some situation happens but
I was trying to get enough
consensus it can be communicated
when they give him the new date
to say council is ready to hear
this on JANUARY 26th.
Any other comments?
Council member thompson?
>> thank you MR. Mayor.
I'm sitting here thinking.
There is no policy.
Has this ever happened before?
>> we've had it come up before
where we've had multiple
requests.
>> what was done in those
instances?
How many times you know an item
was tken?
>> probably around three is as
many as I can think of but there
could be some point in the past
where we've done more than that.
>> was there any suggestion of
creating policy or ordinance to
preclude them from having three
or more.
>> not that I recall.
>> if I MAY?
>> yes, ma'am?
>> so I think we're talking
about hat's going on here and I
stated that is that we have had
people come out to speak twice
and they've waited here, they've
come up and we've said we're
continuing it chlt
.
I think if we knew on OCTOBER
12th if we could have gotten in
touch with them and said, this
is going to be continued, then
that would have been a different
story so that's when I said I
can bring it back to ask that
but if I need to withdrawal the
motion, I can do that.
>> hold on for clarification.
Council member thompson?
>> thank you MR. Mayor and mayor
pro tem I like that idea because
that can be brought back to
policy.
that we get the phone numbers so
we have enough time to notify
them so they don't have to show
up.
-
that we can bring back to
policy, MR. Mayor.
>> my nly concern is they don't
know it's going to be tabled
until council comes together and
we don't come together until
meeting so I don't think that
will work.
It's just a request.
>> council MAY or MAY not grant
it at the time.
Council?
Let me bring it back to this
particular case, right?
We have continued this to
JANUARY 26th of 26.
The only question I pose for the
body is, is there a will to
communicate for this case, that
to imply or to communicate to
the applicant that we'll be
ready to move forward on JANUARY
26th?
That's the question that I have
today.
Now if there's a broader
question can we capture that
separate?
The vote will be or whatever
consensus you need acting
manager for the city to notify
him of that if there's a
consensus of this ody that
please be prepared on JANUARY
26th.
>> yes, sir.
That's the will of council and
we can certainly communicate
that.
>> this is just the temperature.
Does your motion still stand or
you want to do something
different?
>> I think exactly what you are
saying is my motion.
>> okay.
We're ready to go.
Council I look to you for
action.
Consensus to communicate what
was stated.
MADAM Can you're the system for
us?
There we go.
Council member banks-mclaughlin?
>> green.
>> alright.
MR. Harmon you got it.
Communicated.
Those voted apposed?
Hondros and greene.
Motion carries 8-2 so look
forward to dealing with this
again in 26.
So item 9.02.
MR. Harmon is that you, as well?
>> it is MR. Mayor.
Thank you.
The other public hearing we have
this evening is an annexation.
You MAY recall during your
consent agenda, you tentatively
approved a new zoning for this
property if it is annexed that
new zoning would be light
industrial.
This is property owned buy is
regarding commercial development
and lori lori epler is
representing them.
3456 black and decker road just
over 2.5 acres in COUNCILMAN
Davis jurisdiction.
Just to give you an idea where
the property is located we have
black and decker road here and
this is the wal-mart that faces
gillespie here.
All of these properties through
this area are all either city or
county, industrial properties.
This roperty is currently zoned
mp in the county which is
manufacturing which is their
version of our industrial
districts.
Currently the property is vacant
and wooded.
Just some photographs of some of
the surrounding things.
There is a housing development
kind of mainly to the south and
some of the east of the property
but other than that everything
is industrial around it.
Staff does recommend adoption of
this proposed ordinance nnexing
this property with an effective
date of today.
If you have questions of this,
if you would wait to pose those
to staff after your legislative
hearing over.
Thank you, sir.
>> thank you MR. Harmon.
Open the ublic hearing.
>> we have one speaker.
Lori epler.
>> good evening MS. Epler, how
are you?
>> well MR. Mayor and council,
as you heard the initial zoning
was passed on your consent
agenda so we're just asking for
the annexing so this property
can be developed.
If you have questions I'll be
here otherwise, I'll let you get
on with your business.
>> thank you ma'am.
Council member davis you have a
question?
>> if there's no uestions I'm
prepared to make a motion.
>> scan your colleagues.
I don't see any.
Thank you.
With that we'll close the public
hearing.
Council member davis?
>> at this time I move to adopt
the annexation oured answer in
with OCTOBER 27th, 2025.
>> motion and seconded by
council member thompson to adopt
the ordinance with pro
annexation.
I
I look forward to your votes
council.
The screen ain't working with us
tonight, is it?
Alright.
Council member banks-mclaughlin?
>> green.
>> alright.
Motion carries unanimous.
Motion adjourn.
>> before we adjourn?
>> oh!
Man I done got excited.
Oh.
We skipped an item.
That's what it is.
Sorry about that chiefs.
We're still cool.
I'm sorry.
We move to nine point items to
the middle.
I'm sorry.
My fault.
Haire?
I got excited.
>> thank you mayor.
I want to make sure before we
move to that item I want to make
sure I'm on the same page
because we did not speaking of
it down here but in our consent
item 7-point 0, 85 and the time
that I was speaking of in ur
pre meeting for 1912 murchison
road for the demo and the
additional time that I was
having to discuss about how it
would be worked out between the
owner and staff, did we need to
do anything about that?
Nothing was said upstairs and it
was just left.
>> it's passed.
The order is in place.
>> it was not to change the
order.
It was to give the property
owners 60 days to work with
staff on hatever corrections or
other provisions they were have
the discussion about but I never
was taking it off the demo lst.
>> right now there's a demo
order that will go through it's
process which is more than
likely that long but anyone want
to speak to the process?
>> I understand that and thank
you mayor, but so that we can
have something in the minutes to
support what the discussion was
>> so council member haire, that
item is gone so we have to
reintroduce something to go back
and deal with that.
You are saying to put some terms
or provisions.
Let me go to the attorney from a
procedural standpoint?
Laws that work?
>> yes, sr.
We can work with all property
owners once you all approve a
demolition ordinance.
Our efforts for voluntary
compliance does not stop there,
and we do not have the ability
to turn around the day after you
all prove an ordinance and go
out with a contractor which I
mentioned is a process.
There is a process and it does
take some time and certainly
during the time where we are
still running our process to
identify who our contractor will
be and get them under contract
we're in communication with
property oners.
If it's their desire to bring
the roperty into compliance we
certainly ontinue o work with
them right up to the last
second.
>> then if I could, just putting
it in the minutes not trying to
change what's already been
approved I would like that
discussion to be with the other
2005 murchison road property.
>> did the clerk captured the
recording so she'll document
accordingly.
Moving to 8.0.
Chief will you at?
I didn't mean to leave you out.
Come on up.
Good to see you, chief.
>> good evening MR. Mayor and
members of the council.
I'm before you tonight to
present the 2025 fire department
third quarter report.
First we want to share a few
quick highlights from third
quarter.
We advertise and hiring process
for our plan JANUARY 2026 at the
academy and received 245
applicants and 63 percent of
those were from
under-represented populations
and 40 were female.
25 recruits graduated from our
fire academy and are completing
emt school as we speak.
We decided to have them on the
fire trucks next week.
Something really exciting our
search and rescue team completed
training.
The fayetteville tech regional
fire training facility.
This prop is the first of it's
kinds in the world.
Our folks have the opportunity
to simulate working in and train
on working on a looded house
and removing themselves from
windows and attics during those
situations.
The folks at ftc bend over
backwards to make sure our
responders have anything they
need to be successful and this
is just the latest example.
Our third quarter call volume
was 7593 total calls for service
with AUGUST being the busiest at
2620 of those.
Here are incidents by category.
4854.
There were 842 service calls and
these included things like water
leaks and public service lift
assist.
Assist police with some
equipment and illegal burning.
There were 793 good intent calls
and are largely cancelled into
route to smoke scares or no
incident found upon arrival.
665 false fire alarms and 229
fires and 213 hazard condition
calls.
These are not to be confused
with hazard materials cause even
though they do fall in there.
This includes over heated
motors.
Electrical power lines down and
defective equipment.
Our response times remain
consistent and well under our 8
minute response time goal.
We responded to 50 structure
fires and 19 started in the
kitchen.
That number is trending back
down in the right direction so
we're happy about that.
There were no fire fatalities.
8 civilian injuries and three
firefighter injuries.
63 percent of the structures
were contained to the roof of
origin.
We were able to in improve our
dollar savory shoe.
We're at 97.3 percent while we
had 1.5 million in property loss
we saw 58.4 million in property
saved.
There were 23 vehicle fires and
four and one lithium battery
fire.
Top three fire losses last
quarter were multi-family
dwelling and a single-family
dwelling on elmherst and a
commercial structure on
murchison road.
As we said there were 4
854
medical responses.
As you can see the overdose
response and narcan treatment
continue to trend downward.
There were 65 total has material
responses nd 38 were natural
gas, five were carbon monoxide
and our regional response team
responded to five calls outside
of the city.
On to our human capital.
At the end of the third quarter
we had 6 firefighter vacancies
and one fire inspector vacancy
and we welcomed academy 2-25 so
as of today we don't have any
firefighter vacancies and we are
only carrying one firefighter
inspector vacancy.
>> that's pretty good, sir.
[Applause]
>> we had three retires and 8
resignations.
Of those only one left for
another job in the fire service
and that's big for us in our
business.
We're up to 25%
under-represented population at
the end of the third quarter
while this number is still short
of our goal of 30 percent it's
the highest in my ten year and
with the outcome 06 ur hiring
process is we look forward to
continue to move that to the
goal.
As you can see here our training
and recruitment staff stayed
busy in the third quarter.
They did hiring, career
development, promotions and
career continuing education for
our department.
The department as a whole
completed nearly 34 thousand
hours of training the third
quarter alone.
Our goal is not to train to get
it right but our goal is to
train until we can't get it
wrong.
Moving into the fire marshal's
office.
As you know we've had a
significant makeover of our
office in the past year and a
half.
We've added staff and refocused
efforts with several goals in
mind.
The over arching goal is
everyone that does business in
the city of fayetteville does it
safely by meeting the intent of
the fire code.
-
nothing more and nothing less.
Every patron and business in the
city of fayetteville is safe and
not exposed to any harm.
Lastly we want to ensure that
anyone and everyone that wants
to do business in this city can
do it was providing timely plan
reviewed and planning from the
fire department side.
As you can see, new plan
reviewed are up by over 500.
These are things like building
plans.
Site plans.
Fire extinguish meant and gates
and barricades and many other
things.
These are often requested as
express reviews and with our
reconfiguration of the office
we're now able to meet the time
requirements set forth by
general statute.
Our fire inspections are down
-
slightly his is because we have
three new inspectors in training
and they are shadowing.
They will be released in the
next month and this number will
increase significantly next
quarter.
Fire inspections and maintenance
inspections include foster
homes.
Hotels and any other commercial
occupancy and include tent
inspections and special event
and fireworks inspections.
Depending on the occupancy type
these are done on a one to three
year rotation per general
statute.
The fire code violations shook
me up some because they are up
dramatically.
The number took me by surprise
because it does not correlate to
an ncreased number of
inspections like 2024 did.
So a great deal of my time and
probably some time when I should
have been sleeping was going
over these numbers trying to
digest them and working with the
fire marshal to try to
understand the data real honest
answer is our fire marshal's
office is just doing a better
job.
Job.
But I need everyone to
understand that we're not in the
gotcha business.
We're not doing that.
We are in the business to make
everything meet fire code.
With that said 47 percent of the
violations are identified and
corrected at the same time so as
the inspector and the occupant
walk through the business they
identify them and fix them and
everything is good.
This doesn't require any
reinspections or money from our
business owner's pockets.
The rest are largely things that
require license contractors to
fix or additional parts and
materials that are not
immediately available.
In 30 days we confirm these
items have been addressed.
I say all that to say that we,
as a department, we need to do a
better job of educating our
business owners before the
inspection.
We have to give them the test
but we can lso give them the
answers to the test before we
get there.
So you'll see social media
information, podcasts with
official.
We'll send out fliers and other
educational information to our
business owners and look at some
other things.
Community risk reduction folks
and the help of the cities
marketing and communications
group.
It's our goal and our
responsibility to make
information available to
business owner, so e can set
them up for success so that what
we're going to do.
The top five violations that we
found are electrical issues,
fire extinguishers and general
items such as address markers
and outdated equipment.
Emergency power systems and fire
protection equipment.
Now we're moving on to the
community reduction.
The good stuff.
The third quarter allowed us to
engage 6655 residents and attend
164 community events and install
343 smoke alarms and 84 carbon
monoxide alarms and fire
suppressers.
We corrected 59 child safety
seat and taught 38 folks hands
on only cpr and gave station
tours and held fire
interventions.
Now like a broken record as I
always am.
Smoke alarms save lives folks.
Fire does not discriminate.
If you or anyone you know needs
a smoke alarm or one checked
please call us immediately at
433-1116 and we'll be there
promptly to take care of you at
no cost.
Nobody should lay down their
head to sleep without a working
smoke alarm and I'm happy to
take your questions.
>> thank you, chief.
Great presentation.
COUNCILMAN Haire?
>> just want to continue to give
a thumb's up to that last scan
bar you had up there on the
screen.
Chief, would you put it back
please?
About the free smoke detectors
so citizens can look at that
again.
I want to support that statement
that you said, chief that smoke
detectors they do and smoke
alarms they do save lives and we
can't say it enough.
We give this information out to
all of our community watch or
community meetings and I give it
all the time and I know the
number by heart and so we
continue to push and I love to
give you accolades on this
because I have had a smoke
detector and a carbon monoxide
detector installed free by our
fire department.
Great job, put it in perfect
places where you all thought
they needed to be.
Cleaned up after yourselves and
was gone in about 20 minutes so
thank you and I hope that our
citizens will write down this
number, 433-1116 or you can scan
the bar and ake a picture
because truly smoke detectors
and carbon monoxide detectors
save lives.
>> we also see the qr goals on
our fire trucks now.
You see at the grocery store or
at a community event you can
walk up to the truck and scan
it.
>> they work.
>> thank you.
Council member thompson?
>> thank ou MR. Mayor.
Thank you chief for another
great presentation.
I'm excited we're getting ore
done with less.
That's very impressive but two
questions.
Can you explain to the public
why there was arise in AUGUST?
>> those re ebbs and flows.
That really wasn't anything too
exciting in our world.
It's really about 100 calls more
than JULY and you got to think
most kids are out of school and
families are on vacation and
there's travel at the mall
getting ready for school so
people are busy.
>> outstanding.
So this is more of a question
that I don't know if I should
address you or the city manager
in his absence.
Being retired military I know
the affects that you're okay
participation can have on your
life.
Not just why you are in there
but also after you retire.
I know our first responders.
fire and police see some things
that most average person doesn't
see.
What precautions do we have or
programs or counseling do we
have to help these individuals
during their tour and after they
retire?
>> I'll take care of this one,
if you want.
Up until about three years ago
maybe, mental health was taboo
in our business.
We just started to unpack the
box.
There is no perfect answer for
your question.
We are doing things we have
brought on our first dog and we
have another dog coming.
We have peer support internal
and offered by the state.
We have chaplain's and e A.P.
And all those things.
We have our fingers on the pulse
of what everyone is doing
nationally.
My metro chief group we
communicate regularly about it.
Everyone is trying to figure
that out but the biggest thing
we don't have an answer for is
post employment because all of
our stuff is available to our
working folks so once you retire
there is, our internal peer
support and state peer support
is available but after that I
don't know what.
We don't have a good nswer just
yet, but we are on it every day
with our ears to the street.
There's some other
municipalities that have brought
on some of those.
We're washing and trying to get
the results from that but I'm
comfortable and confident saying
anything that I come up with
I'll get full support from the
city manager's office and from
you guys because I have never
not gotten that support.
I know that doesn't answer your
question.
>> I did.
>> hope you are comfortable
knowing that one of our
assistant chiefs we do know it's
an issue and we're actively
looking but there's no answer at
this time.
>> that was a conversation piece
we had during a chat about some
of the trauma our first
responders go through with some
of the scenes they have to go to
and this traumatizing.
It stays with you or the rest
of your life and you will need
that exterior help now or in the
future we want to make sure
that's available for all of our
first responders.
Thank you chief and MR. Mayor.
>> council member davis?
>> I think on the slide where
you have the fire inspections I
want to say thank you for, you
can inform the business owners
in reference to violations
because I receive a lot of phone
calls and texts to references
like church and projects and
businesses because of the
violations because they don't
understand the process so thank
you for that, sir.
>> like I said we have to give
you it but there's nothing
saying that we can't give you
the answers to the test
beforehand.
>> I move that we accept the
report from the fire department.
>> alright.
Motion by council member
thompson and second by council
member davis.
Discussion?
council I look for your vote.
Council member banks-mclaughlin?
>> green.
>> alright.
Great job, chief, thank you.
MADAM Clerk it's unanimous.
And to your team, chief.
No man is an island so thank you
to all the firefighters and to
your team, as well.
First responders.
Alright.
Chief bryant where are you at,
sir?
It's your turn.
Come on down.
>> good evening.
First of all I'd like to give
chief and his team a round of
applause in regarding being able
to fill those vacancies because
I understand that it is a
challenge and it's extremely
impressive when they fill all
over their vacancies so mayor
and city council and senior
leadership team and junior MADAM
Mayor, she's left, has to go to
school, my name s roberto brian
and time chief-of-police for
fayetteville police department
and here to present our third
quarter report today.
Here is our slide.
Alright.
As you'll see our third quarter
report will cover JANUARY
through SEPTEMBER of 2025.
On our slide here will cover our
crime tatistics and crime
trends and our fighting, crime
fighting strategies and
community engagement.
As you'll see on this slide here
in terms of what we're doing as
a department, total crime is
down by over 10% and our arrests
are also down by just under one
percent
percent.
you can see our crime is down,
as well as person's crimes and
property crimes and we continue
to move in the downward trend.
As you'll see violent crime by
far, the elephant in the room is
our homicides.
At the beginning of the year we
were hit pretty hard with those
incidents that took place and so
far we're continuing to trend
down but because of that spike
in the beginning of the year
we're still up at 68 percent but
if you look at the rest of the
part one crimes, those are all
down double-digits so we're
still being able to come ahead
and turn to those numbers.
As you'll see here, our homicide
unit where we have 3 incidents.
34 omicides and you'll see our
overdoses and suicides.
>> 32 homicides, right?
I want to make sure the press
got that MR. Duffy.
Not 34.
Got it.
>> so one of the things that I
want to make sure too that we
understand in terms of what
we're looking at in terms of our
homicide department and unit
they are doing an exceptional
job in terms of when we have the
national rate for clearances
about 58 percent our current
assistance is 87.5 and we
recently attended the
international association of the
chief of police and they had
other homicide units that were
ranting about their numbers and
-
their numbers were not as good
as or, so I would complend our
homicide units to be able to
solve these crimes and put these
with a bad actors in jail in
terms of what we're able to do
here in the city of
fayetteville.
>> MR. Mayor can we ask
questions as we go or you want
to wait to the end?
>> thank you.
I'll come back to you.
>> also I want to specify in
terms of the homicides we have
about ten of these incidents
were domestic and 18 were known
individuals that knew each other
so none of these are random in
terms of random crimes.
These are all individuals that
no each other or have some type
of relationship rior to.
Regarding our domestic these are
our numbers.
We are trending down in terms of
those numbers, as well and we
continue to work with the center
to make sure victims that are in
these toxic relationships
receive the assistance they need
to get out of that situation and
that we encourage and do
everything we can to go ahead
for them to press charges
against those abusers.
>> chief before you go into this
one.
Council member thompson?
>> he answered the question.
I didn't know what the break
down of the homicides.
Were they domestic or acts of
dye violence, he answered that.
>> alright chief.Violence, he answered that.
>> alright chief.
This is our shot spotter.
340 alerts.
That breaks down by district and
the shell casings that are also
recovered in each district.
Guns and also, arrests resulting
in those shot spot alerts.
I think one of the questions
that came about last friday in
terms of when we have the
arrests out of the 14 we've had
or during this period you are
talking about 13 out of the 14
of these arrests were weapons
recovered or related to a weapon
so that's the numbers in terms
of the request that we had on
friday.
Next slide is our shot spotter
dashboard that any citizen here
in fayetteville or anywhere can
go on the our website and you
can see these numbers.
What I will also make sure that
everyone understands, these
numbers are continuously
fluctuating as when we have an
analyst that can provide
additional information.
One of the questions that came
up recently is regarding blanks
and as you see up there, it
shows like 246 so currently
we're working with I.T. And
members of their team with our
team to figure out a better
category in terms of blanks so
it won't answer or raise
questions regarding what is
blank.
Now I'd like to give you an
example of what we're talking
about blank in terms of I'll
give you an example.
This scenario here.
We have, this was last thursday
about 9:30 last night.
All of our commanders.
We have this on our app on our
phone.
When we get an alert this is
what we experience and this is
what we hear.
>> wow.
>> I'll play that one more time.
Listen.
Right after you heard the last
shot tell me what you hear.
>> car.
>> thank you.
that's what we hear.
This call we responded to.
There was no 911 call.
There were no witnesses.
There were no victims.
>> thank GOD.
>> but officers responded and
recovered shell casings.
That is categorized as a blank
until we're able to tie those
casings to an incident or to
another case.
That is what shot spotter does.
And that's what we're alking
about when we're talking about
80 percent of the alerts are
those that are coming without a
911 call ut we're still able to
gather something so we can move
forward with an investigation.
It might not happen today or
next month, months from now but
usually we're able to tie it up
and then we're able to kind of
piece together where those shell
casings are with other incidents
that MAY occur in or around the
city.
>> chief, I did have two
questions.
I guess council member benavente
changed his perspective.
>> you applied t to him so you
can apply it to me.
>> that's right.
>> chief brian I appreciate the
example.
How often do you guys review the
sounds of those, I guess 200
blanks or how many was it?
>> 246.
We do every single one of them.
We have an, analyst assigned to
listen to every single call and
categorize them and they put in
the notes whatever notes the
field MAY have and this is one
of the things that we want to
make sure we educate the public
on.
this is not something that's
happening right away because our
analysts have to go through
reports and listen to these
sounds, and if any additional
information comes back from our
casings to be able to connect to
another case then there being
able to connect that particular
casing or incident back to
another case.
>> chief I understand that if
you find casings you can do that
but I'm saying of the 246
examples, what window of this?
JANUARY to this day?
>> correct.
>> how many of those have been
reviewed?
>> as you'll see they are being
reviewed.
>> so someone has listened to
all of those recordings and you
are still unable to categorize
them when listening to them?
>> it's not about listening but
whether or not we recovered
witnesses or casings or
something that we can come up to
tie that particular incident.
>> you were there when the
wilson center talked to us about
why they were not able to give
us as good a feedback as
charlotte and durham and one of
the reasons was the spotty way
we collect data and the reason
I'm concerned about the blanks
is we're not actually asking the
questions to give I believe a
transparent and thorough program
to what this does and does not
do because I know it will be a
chief to say only the good
things but I really need
somebody.
Maybe the city manager or
somebody else to tell us what
are the pros and the cons
because if you can't be I guess
-
fair in your assessment to say
these are times when the shot
spotter showed it was a power
tool or this was a time when the
shot spotter showed another loud
noise because I've heard that
from members of the team but I
never hear it in public when
it's time to be a countable to
the citizens that want to know
the good, bad and ugly with
money that we're spending when
you said homicides.
It's known people, domestic
situations and the things police
will never be able to do
anything about but if we start
to help these people we
eliminate those kinds of
conflict but you are aying no
we need the money for the
microphones.
Tell us good and the bad and the
ugly.
All 246 of those you heard and
confirm they are indeed gunshot?
>> no they are still being
reviewed.
>> so when you pick out one you
give the impression that's how
it happened all 246 times and
that's not honest.
>> what we're talking about is
that specific incident but if
you look at the MISS
Classification by type we're
showing you there's a false
positive or three MISS Located
shots, as well.
>> what were those?
>> I can tell you in terms of if
it's a alse positive it was not
a gunshot?
>> what was it then?
>> I couldn't tell you what it
is but I can tell you with us
anoint gunshot.
>> when you ant to gragg about
the one time that it sounds
dramatic and avoid showing us a
power tool that might sound
similar so you can imagine the
question marks other cities have
come to saying are we getting
what we pay for?
We have independent people
without skin in the game that
want to paint things in a
particular light.
They say 23 percent of the time
and then you come back and say
it is 99 percent of the time
when I think of who's going to
be honest about t is's going to
be the independent evaluators
without skin in the game.
>> COUNCILMAN Let's keep this in
an in quiztive way and not
accuse or the way.
>> a little bit where I differ,
chief, I'm happy out of what
ever the number.
But the 246?
Out of the 246, as I have stated
from the very beginning of using
every helpful tool in our
arsenal to support the fight
against crime and these
shootings.
And whatever this was.
I'm proud of that.
I'm roud of the one.
I who know it's more but this
particular incident on southern
avenue there were some shells,
and if it wasn't for shot
spotter you said that there
where you say no assistance of a
911 call with this, so I do
support that and I'm thankful
for that.
If we can help shut down one I'm
thankful to have that tool.
Now my question also because you
said if there are shells and
thing as long that line
especially with this particular
case that you found some shells,
do you all also and this is
probably a little crazy
question, but do ou also look
for fingerprints on those?
>> they will do a full analysis
of everything that they can go
ahead and recover from any shell
casings that they recover.
>> so that's nother part of a
help with the shot spotter for
this arsenal in the tool box.
Not only can we get the shells
but we can also get any possible
fingerprints.
>> that's correct.
>> council member thompson?
>> thank you MR. Mayor and thank
you chief.
I just want to regurgitate
something I heard chief braeyden
speaking of while he was the
chief and I'm glad to see him in
the back row back there.
He was trained on what a gunshot
sounds like and I know that all
of your officers are trained
because they hear it all the
time so I know they know the
difference between what a
gunshot and a power drill is so
I'm thankful for the work that
they've done and the comment
made about shady work I trust
and believe that our officers
are doing everything.
>> the term was shotty.
>> whatever the determination
you used.
I know our officers are truthful
and faithful and obligated to
protect the citizens.
>> don't MISS Quote me.
>> you can press your button the
you want to.
Sorry.
COUNCILMAN Benavente it's not
your turn.
I'll come back to you.
I said t was council member
thompson and myself and then
press your button.
chief, thank you.
>> thank you for that.
What I'll say is this.
There's two things you
mentioned.
One I know the gifts started off
tough for us and I think during
your first quarter presentation
I was looking for it when you
did the year-to-year comparison
it was like 300 plus, percent so
it's declined significantly.
Do you remember what we were at
the second quarter or like out
of those 32, how many came the
first three or four months, do
you know?
>> I know it was a lt.
You're right.
Over 300 percent.
>> so it's got a pretty sharp
decline.
It was like 25 the first three
or four month?
>> 366 was the percentage.
At the time in terms of the
comparison from 25 to 24.
>> so it's decreased
significantly for it to be 60
percent and that's just a
comparison to this time last
year?
>> that's correct.
>>, so I wanted to highlight
that because at some point the
community took an assistance
around APRIL or MAY when it was
a ighlighted discussion and we
can see that there has been a
significant decrease so I'd ike
to see that maybe on some other
chart that trends t by month to
show if there was a precipitous
drop in it.
Other part I want to highlight
is I don't know about everybody
but to me, when you hear 18
shots or so, you know I grew up
in a neighborhood where you hear
that and sometimes they don't
call 911 every time.
14 guns to be recovered that
from one district.
>> that's across all of them.
>> for this quarterly from
JANUARY to SEPTEMBER?
>> correct.
>> and nine arrests made in
somehow connection to that?
>> correct.
>> I don't know how that's a bad
thing.
14 more guns are off the street.
The speed in where the shots
came out did that seem like a
regular semiautomatic.
>> that was rapid fire.
I wouldn't say
casey my automatic.
>> if you have shell casings and
at some point you are matching
these things to other incidents
and you make arrests what would
be helpful is if that place
holder was not called blank to
leave open to interpretation
blanks or some unknown that
maybe could rename that pending
investigation.
>> we're working right now ith
members of the senior leadership
team to develop a better
category so that won't be there
so we're going to do that and
have that ready next quarter.
>> right and the final thing
I'll say before I go to council
member benavente I'm sure the
residents appreciated you
showing up after they heard that
and whether it leads to
something today or tomorrow, I
don't think this is a bad thing
for you to have an extra tool to
put you n the right path to
show up and to respond, so I'm
glad to hear you say that and
look forward to hear more about
it as we analyze the data and
everything so I'll go to council
member benavente.
>> do have a question to
clarify.
But I wanted to make sure that I
wasn't being misquoted by MR.
Thompson.
We had an independent evaluator
say that the city of
fayetteville was not bringing
data that other cities were
keeping and I used the term
shotty to describe our lack of
data keeping in line with our
peer cities so you can be
offended by that if you like but
that's a simple fact that you
have to accept.
City attorney you provided me
with arrest reports related to
incidents around shot spotter.
I'm counting more than four
people hat were unarmed so when
the chief-of-police ays out of
the 14, 13 were gun related, how
is that possible if I'm counting
at least five that were unarmed
people that had warrants but no
firearms on their person when
they were arrested with the shot
spotter incident.
>> that data came from the
police department.
>> okay.
So chief?
I don't know f you can get
something on a slide so we'll
have an official record.
I know that you are saying 13
out of 14 were gun related but
an incident on old wilmington
road says he was unarmed.
They were unarmed.
That on chesapeake road there
was another individual that was
unarmed who was arrested.
I'm counting again more than
just how many did you say were
not firearm related?
>> we have 14 subjects arrested
and 13 out of 14 was with a
weapon.
>> okay.
So I'll send you what the city
attorney sent me so you can look
over it.
This is why wanted a slide
included because I think we lose
something in translation here
and I want us to be accurate
because I'm surprised by that
number and I don't believe
that's accurate and for us to
say out loud that 13 out of 14
of the guns happened, it sounds
like the one from the recording
you didn't get those folks yet.
Is there more?
>> there's many more.
That's the thing.
It is a long process and it's
not one of those situation
where's, because some of the
alerts there's not any tres of
evidence, so therefore, until we
are able to work through each
piece, you know we MAY get later
on a video camera or someone
providing information that will
lead us to that car that sped
off.
That tag and then we're able to
identify those individual, so it
takes a while.
>> that's why cities who have
implemented this program
responsibly will keep hat data
for the folks in he white
shirts to review but they don't
put it in the vehicle so there's
unintended consequence of
officers oing into a situation
hot because we have someone that
lost their life while in custody
the first day we turned on shot
spotter and something we
conveniently refuse to talking
about.
At some point we have to be more
honest about this technology and
be not just cheerleaders without
any deference of what community
members have shared with us.
One thing I guess we're not
hearing it on NOVEMBER first is
that there are citizens in these
areas that don't want shot
spotter and there's legitimate
reasons why but nobody on this
council will give people a voice
because they are stuck on the
cop propaganda the boot licking.
>> I'd like to make a motion to
receive the report.
>> I think we have more to get
to.
Is the manager's button pushd?
Yes ma'am?
>> if I MAY add steph heard the
comments from council after this
study the rsults were published
and chief bryant did mention
that we have a
ssembled a working
group and we are working to
close hose gaps in our data and
working to try to come up with a
better and more consistent
framework that tracks the
performance of shot spotter and
the impacts of the community on
our investigations and how that
data affects our community so we
hear you and we're working on
it.
>> thank you for that update.
I'll come back to you COUNCILMAN
Council member mcnair.
>> I'll try to get through
these.
This is collaboration with our
federal partners and the results
of these working with our
federal partners here you will
see the amount of federally
indicted individuals that have
been arrested and seizures, as
well as firearms and currency
ceased.
At this time you'll see the
numbers regarding our group a
crimes in terms of the
percentage and again you'll see
the numbers are all down except
for robbery whether which is up
1.2 percent but we're almost
double-digit on all the
categories in terms of our
property crimes.
Here we have our numbers
regarding our juveniles from
JANUARY through SEPTEMBER 25th.
One of the questions that also
what we were trying to do is
provide some insight in total
incident charges from 24 to 25
and we're up about almost 17%
reflective on this slide here.
The most pressing issue that we
see here right now is the
robbery where it has almost
doubled in terms of from 24 to
25 with increase of 106 percent.
So we're tackling that's a much
as we can in terms of those
involved in the juveniles.
Next here you'll see by quarter
the field contacts and incident
reports that we've had.
Again assaults is high in the
numbers in terms of what we're
looking at across the board.
Lastly these are slides
pertaining to the juvenile
protective order.
Here it goes from 11:00 P.M. To
6:00 P.M..
The field contacts and incident
reports associated with these
and the total charges.
>> can I ask a question about
the slide?
Haire?
>> thank you mayor.
It was of so much on these
particular slide, so if this is
not the time let me know and
I'll get it later.
During our F.Y. 25 budget we
discussed some things that we
were looking for.
there was a request for more
speed centuries, our cameras
that we're were looking at and
other forms of technology but
especially those too because
that's something I speak about a
lot during my community
meetings.
I did receive a message that I
don't know if they said the
speed centuries were in or
close, I won't even try to say
this.
If you would, could you give us
if this is the time on where we
stand with the speed century and
our new camera technology that
we were asking for?
>> yes.
Yes, sir.
Sorry, I can provide some of
that information in terms.
We're going in a phased process
in terms of technology.
Right now one of the first
priorities is upgrading our
server room which has taken
place and now we're in the
process of obtaining several
software whether artificial
intelligence but also we have
looked into the energy tries
with entries based on requests
from city council members
throughout the city but we're
also obtaining more and we're
going to get some more for the
school zones in terms of being
able to have those deployable
all throughout the school zones,
as well.
>> and thank you for that
because I did get some
deployments out in the summer
hill community but I was talking
about the additional ones and
we're not there yet.
>> we're not there yet.
We have received the quotes but
we have not pushed the button to
pick out which one we'll take.
>> the ones that are coming, is
there any additional data that
it will be bringing?
Or is it some of what we're
already getting or is anything
new going to be an attached?
>> with that but also we have
our license plate readers that
are critical.
>> that's what I mean.
>> so we're also doing that as
well throughout the city to
broad energy our footprint and
that's one of the things that I
would say that we lack in terms
of our dispersement of cameras
throughout the city.
I came from fayetteville state
-
where we had 80 cameras on that
small campus.
City here is more.
We have work to do and we're
moving it up and we'll continue
to move forward so we can be
utilizing the technology where
we don't have the personnel to
do that.
>> we'll be glad to get them
because our resident dos ask
about them and then of course
I'll bring it back to you.
Thank you mayor.
>> council member benavente?
>> I'm trying to understand the
curfew 11-6.
Juvenile crime.
This is number 13.
Are you saying that of that
total number from quarter three,
are those instances where you
approach and young person for
violating curfew?
Or are these instances that
occurred in the window of time?
>> these are instance that
happen in the window of time.
Have there been anytimes where
the youth curfew was the
impetuous for an interaction
-
with a young person?
>> sir, I will tell you that
most of the ime that we
approach these young people,
we're looking at some other type
of crime associated with it.
>> that makes sense to me.
My concern was that you have
enough serious stuff going on
during the hours that a curfew
at best is redundant and at
worse creates this interaction
with citizen, so when you heard
someone might not be 18, I think
you are busy with real stuff
that you don't have to really
worry about that potential but
was there anytime where the
youth curfew, we talk about the
tools we like to give you.
Did you utilize that tool?
>> that's not one we'll utilize
as the first option?
>> have you used it thus far at
all?
>> no.
>> that's all I have.
>> council member thompson?
>> thank you mayor and chief.
I have a question about the
juvenile s
juveniles for motor vehicles.
Is there a shift changing
because now the robberies are
going up?
What ype of robberies are we
talking about?
>> they can be common law
robberies and usually they
threaten intimidation so that's
considered robbery verses
larceny but those are the ones
that are going in there.
It's hard to say based on we're
still early on into this
collecting data so it will take
time for us to show what impact
that we're actually having
regarding the protective order
so it will take time for us to
go ahead and start looking at
the numbers and see the impact
we're having in terms of
juvenile crime.
>> thank you chief.
>> I did have a question.
Are the juvenile assaults
include what happens at a
school?
>> that's correct sr.
>> so that number is all
encompassing of school activity
where things like that can
happen?
>> that's correct.
We have another slide here that
will show those events, as well.
This next slide is in
collaboration with director john
jones office of community safety
as you'll see here we have done
numerous collaborations where we
reach out on 32 calls for
unhoused community where they
have helped us out and they
require two professional staff
on their team now that was
working on some of the item has
the the officer community safety
will be assisting in now and we
continue to support them in any
events they MAY have, as well so
I know director jones will have
a more comprehensive report for
you all later on but I want to
highlight some of the
collaboration we've started with
the office of community safety.
Here's the calls starting AUGUST
25th through SEPTEMBER 0th
where you see the calls for
service with 267 with 95
incident reports that goes back
to our full comprehensive
report.
This is what has taken place at
the schools and currently we're
at 14 certified sro's and we'll
move that number to 18 in
JANUARY.
>> great.
>> here's our vice suppression
for narcotics.
As you see our fentanyl, we had
to correct the slide.
Our actual fentanyl seizure was
4.71 and we're up to 19 kilos at
this time and I think we've
explained to you the impact that
a small of fentanyl can have on
a city.
These are numbers for our 911
dispatch.
Here you see there's 135
thousand 900 calls with fire and
them for total of 153,000.
Also you'll see on the slide
here is the admin. Calls the
dispatch center has for over
292,000 calls.
>> wow.
>> traffic enforcement.
I want to touch base as you see
these numbers here.
At every community meeting any
encounter I have with a citizen,
their concerns are speeding,
careless and recklessness and
folks driving through the red
light.
These are the results of these
that we see in the city.
And the only way that we're
going to be able to change this
behavior is by enforcement and
you'll see this is a moving
violations and non-moving
violations.
Very important for us to enforce
both of those.
Here council member benavente
was asked to show and you see
we're up almost,000 total
stops from JANUARY to 2025.
This is a break down by
demographics as you'll see the
numbers.
Also you see the numbers in
terms of searches for 2024 even
though the number has raised
from 24 to 25, you'll notice the
percentage is literally almost
same.
3.47 percent.
Exactly the same in terms of
vehicle searches.
>> chief just to clarify my
request.
The data that's not compared
appropriately I think you did an
accurate job on slide 22 when
you show the disparity between
white drivers being stopped and
it being double but the more
dramatic number is the number of
searches.
I think a bar graph showcasing
the difference between looks
like 873 is a dramatic
difference is what's concerning
to people so that's the graph
that I feel is not presented
here.
It is a dramatically different
number.
>> we'll go to the next slide
that you are seeing.
You saw that percentage so this
is the results of these
searches, as well.
In terms of what we're able to
size and drugs and weapons.
About 40 percent and vehicle
results rom 24 and 2025 we're
up 61 percent in terms of
seizures and also up in weapon
seizures, as well.
It's note-worthy for white
drivers it's 60 percent when it
comes to drugs.
>> I'll show you the next slide.
The vehicle stops you talk about
the 102.
We had one point 2% in 2024 we
end up to 2%.
In 25 but I'll let you see the
next slide that shows a little
correlation of what we're able
to result so therefore, about 47
percent and just over 18% of
weapons among white drivers in
2024 but if you look to 2025 we
have 60 percent in drugs and 12
percent in weapons.
>> I guess what I'm hoping that
not only I hope to illustrate
but in the book I shared with
you and director john ones the
research shows that black,
white, asian, hispanic, once an
officer says they appropriately
need to be searched the
likelihood of being some
contraband is fairly equal
across demographic, so the
question becomes why is it that
one group ends up being stopped
so many times more when the
ratios are fairly equal and I
think the answer there is not
necessarily your response built
to resolve.
I think you said something a
moment ago.
Changing behavior can only
happen through enforcement and I
think that's a huge MISS
Statement because really
infrastructure changes can
change how fast someone is going
down a street without there
having to be an enforcement
matter.
How many times does a person
have to get a speeding ticket
before they never speed again in
their lives.
I don't think that's a limit.
>> I'm saying it will never be
the case that you are on every
single street every time someone
is speeding but we have to
change the infrastructure at
times.
It's not just a behavior thing.
>> sir, you can have an in for
structure set up but if
individuals continue to speed
and feel they can speed without
penalty they will.
Doesn't matter infrastructure
but when individuals believe
hey, I'm going to get stopped
and I don't want a fine or my
insurance to go up or get
arrested so there's part of that
also.
Not just infrastructure but
enforcement.
I will say that there s
is some
truth in terms of some of the
locations that we'll have issues
but I'll also firmly say that
enforcement is what changes
behavior.
>> the last thing I'll ask is,
and I feel like I get bad
answers when ask this
question.
But when you see the disparity
in the way that we conduct our
stops and searches is it all a
concern for you or do you have
an interest in looking what
other departments have done in
other parts of the country that
have no reduction in the number
of guns they have recovered or
the drugs on a, annual basis but
have done something the way
we're stopping disparities of
stopping people.
>> sir we have very much the
interest in trying to do that.
Unfortunately as I stated last
we were at a conference last
week and this is not just a
fayetteville issue.
This is north carolina,
nation-wide.
This is an issue but one thing I
would like for you to understand
and our citizens to understand
is when we stop a vehicle, it's
the violation.
It's not because of the race of
the person that's in the car
it's the violation that we stop.
>> I trust that 100 percent but
I'm saying when you see other
industries ike schools that
have shown that their rates of
explosion for black students is
higher and when you see
hospitals the maternal health
outcomes for black baders is
disparate.
We don't ask if they are racist
anymore we just say we need to
stop these outcomes from
happening so let's ove fast
first level of discussion.
I don't care about proving we're
doing something discriminatory
or racially bias but the
outcomes are indisputable.
What are we going to do about it
now?
That doesn't require that you're
doing something racially bias
because the outcomes are that so
what will we do bout it now?
>> thank you council member
benavente.
Every time we get to this point
it goes back to the money.
-
okay?
So I think what would be helpful
for me, because as we look at
25,000 stopped black drivers.
13 thousand white drivers this
year, right?
How many are for things like
whatever prompted you to stop.
Tags out, insurance out, lights
not working.
Registration didn't check out.
Like is there a category that
captures that number?
Because we all know all the
things that my colleague named
are rooted in economics but
nobody ever wants to get to the
economic conversation.
You had ten minutes to preach.
So we have to talk about the
economics.
Right?
And so it's easy for people who
have never walked this path to
tell everybody what they need to
do and haven't lived in
neighborhood where's 18 shots
have been fired and all of those
things but do you have a way to
extract out the basis of the
call that showed whether this is
a call based on lapsed insurance
or a call based on expired tags
or something that we can
contribute to a real problem?
>> we can extrapolate that
regarding non-moving violation
and egulatory violations.
>> that would be helpful because
that's in this total number so
you had it broken down with the
green and red dots.
You had just as many
non-violating violations.
Non-moving violations.
So I would like to see that in a
future report?
>> currently I'm talking with
our team and I.T. To try to
develop a moore comprehensive
way to show what you are all
asking for in a matt manner
that's easier to read and a
little more lively because a lot
of the data changes from day to
day.
>> I can as sure you that as the
cuts are coming that the county
commissioner held a meeting for
that people are going to be
faced with the choice of paying
a bill or renewing insurance or
paying a bill and renewing tag,
so those kinds of things
contribute of it.
The mans is a part of it so I
welcome those discussion but you
have to talk about the eal
underlying problem.
Council member thompson?
>> thank you MR. Myor.
Chief I want to go at a
different angle because ou did
not talk about the sro's too
much.
What is ur requirement?
I think our contract says we
have to have so many by the end
of JANUARY.
>> 18.
>> we're currently at 14.
>> yes, sir.
>> and what is our capacity for
our
ours, I think 62?
>> it fluctuates daily.
Every day, it is a constant
revolving window in terms of
that so it's about 65 positions,
but it's constantly I think
we're at 62.
I think right now 62 right now
in terms of our tc o.
For MADAM Attorney, where are we
getting our red light back in
the lawsuit with wilmington and
I believe speeds ago habit and
we have to change that.
If you know there's a light at a
certain corner and you got a
ticket there once before you
will not speed there again.
>> there's litigation from
another jurisdiction pending.
Council, you are welcome to
reinstate it before that it will
education is complete but you
are at risk of being sued, as
well.
>> I wanted to wait until this
was over before we tried to
reinstate it but thank you
chief.
That was my questions.
>> thank you, mayor.
>> I'll continue.
>> yeah and just for the sake of
time we're going to let you
continue and we'll catch the
questions at the end.
>> we'll break down in terms of
the vehicle stops and the others
that you also see the 2% kind of
consistent from 24 to 25 well,
and then the break down in terms
of the others and those
percentages related to it as you
see in 2025 those percentages
are also increasing in terms of
drugs and weapons, as well.
One of the topics that our team
has discussed in terms of
transparency wanted to I think
in the yearly report we provide
city council and the citizens
here of fayetteville the numbers
but I think that I want to be
able to provide these numbers on
a quarterly basis in terms of to
alleviate perceptions out there
that we do not police our
officers when they are engaged
in activity or unprofessionalism
so what I ant to do on
quarterlies is to highlight what
we do in terms of when we
receive these complaints and
you'll see in erms of some of
the citizens complaints you know
our complaints are down compared
to 2024.
We have ore positive comments
compared to 2024 and one of the
things too that we want to also
make sure that when we have our
internal affairs doing their
investigations and also, going
to give what we have are our
dispositions in terms of sustain
minutes and exonerations and
other violations than the
complaint that was originally
received and the next slide here
will show you exactly in terms
of what we're able to do.
Of course based on the
limitation that we have on hr
but we want to give you when we
do receive these complaints and
what we're doing in terms of
coaching and policy warnings and
written reprimands and
suspensions and demotions and
dismissals and a lot of this
started before I or arrived.
Chief braeyden was very much
involved in terms of making sure
upholding policy and laws and
making sure that these bad
actors in the department are
held to the standard and that
they will be held you know to
the law and make sure that they
don't reflect badly on the rest
of us out there trying to do the
job in a professional manner
every day.
As you see here this is our
developmental staff agent this
time.
We have 06 vacancies.
Down about 40%.
We have a
numbers oming right now
and we're hoping to be by 30,
JANUARY, based on the numbers
coming so, but like I said I'm
going to take tips from achieve
dove and see what they did to
get those folk but to give you
an example we can have 100
applicants.
Out of that 100 applicants we
MAY qualify up to 50 that MAY
make it through the first round
of the backgrounds.
Then ut of the that 50, we MAY
end up with 25 that actually
makes it to the academy.
Out of that academy of 25, we're
graduating about 12 so that's a
challenge.
>> you went from 100 to 12.
>> that's a challenge.
We don't have, you know,
application pool of several
hundred.
We do not.
You know?
That's been the challenge, you
know, because we're always
constantly, you know, as you've
seen in the other slides we're
dismissing folks, as well.
Those are new vacancies we have
to make-up for.
It's a safe constant ballot bull
we're pushing to make this
number and be successful by the
end of this fiscal year.
>> MR. Mayor?
>> chief, I didn't have a
question until you brought this
-
up and we were at the graduation
and I can't remember how many
was graduating but three had
masters degrees.
How did you get that pool?
>> yes, sir.
So we had, believe it or not, we
have a pool of folks, matter of
fact one of those that has the
masters is actually working on
their ph.D.
We have highly educated and
qualified individuals that want
to do, some of them went to
school formerly for accounting
and then decide I want to really
be a cop.
They come in here and we'll take
them.
We can utilize that skill set so
we have that.
That's happening all across the
nation folks want to come in and
make a complete change and also,
some of it is economy.
You know you MAY ave
individuals that MAY have had a
career in a particular field and
next thing you know that field
is, you know, being utilized in
terms of maybe ai is taking
their job or robots so now they
are coming and looking for other
career field there's stable for
them, for their family, with
benefit and health insurance and
everything else so those for
people that we're targeting and
hoping to keep.
>> thank you MR. Mayor.
>> mayor pro tem?
>> thank you MR. Mayor.
This is going to be our last
time getting to discuss the
quarterly report, so I hope that
you get some more critical
questions in the future from
this council, because I know
that over the past
three-and-a-half almost four
years I've been on council, I
never often see anyone else on
council asking questions to be
critical of the report.
And it's not critical in the
sense of being critical, but
iron sharpens iron and it's
important for you to get more
perspective on the data you're
sharing from members of the
community who have
questions about the awesome
power of government as it is
exemplified through law
enforcement.
There's always going to be room
and necessary space for these
kinds of questions, but none of
my concerns are coming from a
place of disrespect for you or
the work you do.
I think about my father who is a
soldier and me going to college
and people saying nasty things
about soldiers, right?
And I was, like, that's not what
soldiers do.
Supporting the troops doesn't
necessarily mean supporting
everything the government sends
them out to do, so my criticism
is never of the folks doing the
hard work behind the badge.
That's why I go out to all the
graduation ceremonies, because I
want to inundate myself with the
pride I see on everyone's faces
to make sure my criticism is
never personal but coming from a
place of necessary professional
concern.
But a bigger concern that I have
and this is where I really want
to ask you, begging you,
honestly, as I think a chief of
very high integrity, you know
this council and probably the
council after this is going to
very rubber-stamp thoughtlessly
spend as much as you're going to
ask for.
It's going to be your
responsibility to, I think, put
some lines in the sand.
I remember a previous chief
saying that the starting salary
for a new officer shouldn't be
over six figures, that there
needs to be some grit and
tenacity built in whether or not
you're really built or this
job, but if you ask the city
council for an enormous amount
of money, they would say yes,
ignoring the second and
third-order harms that come when
you put quantity over quality.
That's just one example, sir, of
the kinds of things you'll have
to police yourself in, because
we don't have a council that is
going to put issues of equal
justice, constitutional
concerns, or fiscal
responsibility --
>> wrap it up, council member.
>> because hey consider
anything less than complete
praise and worship to be
anti-police, which it isn't.
But that's who you've got to
work with, so good luck.
>> well, thank you.
Thank you, council member
benavente, thank you, chief,
thank you to the citizens who
decide who sit up here, so when
they speak, that's what it is,
so thank you for that.
Council, I look to you for your
vote.
>> green.
>> all right.
All right, unanimous, motion to
adjourn?
>> all right.