Orange County NC Website
RES-2020-041 <br /> <br />ORANGE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS <br /> <br />A RESOLUTION CALLING FOR A COMMUNITY PUBLIC FORUM TO DISCUSS ISSUES <br />OF POLICING AND RACIAL JUSTICE AND EQUITY IN ORANGE COUNTY. <br />WHEREAS, the residents of Orange County, North Carolina are committed to discussing <br />and addressing issue of structural racism, inclusion, racial equity, and the continuing <br />legacy of racial segregation and discrimination in this community; and <br />WHEREAS, on June 2, 2020, the Board of County Commissioners adopted “A Resolution <br />denouncing the murder of George Floyd and addressing the health director’s declaration <br />of structural racism as a “public health crisis” in Orange County” and committed to <br />working to dismantling structural racism; and <br />WHEREAS across the nation local governments and the communities they represent are <br />engaging in a wide-ranging review of police policies and practices in light of these tragic <br />events, and <br />WHEREAS Orange County places a high priority on community engagement, <br />participation, and transparency; and <br />WHEREAS unlike municipalities in our state, which directly control their police <br />departments, the Sheriff is an independently elected official under the North Carolina <br />Constitution and the Sheriff’s Office is an independent county agency, but by this <br />resolution seeks it’s partnership in addressing these issues. <br />NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />will conduct a community public forum to discuss issues of policing and racial justice and <br />equity in Orange County, and <br />BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Orange County Board of Commissioners will <br />request that the Sheriff and the Sheriff’s Office be a full and equal partner with the BOCC <br />in planning, organizing, and leading the forum. <br /> <br />This the 16th Day of June, 2020. <br />________________________________________ <br />Penny Rich, Chair <br />Orange County Board of Commissioners <br />2