When we hear the words “racial profiling,” we probably don’t think about incidents happening in our own back yard. Cities like New York and Washington, D.C., have problems with police unfairly targeting black citizens, but not Raleigh, Durham or Chapel Hill. Sure, there are isolated problems, but this kind of thing is rare, right? Think again.
The following lists are compiled from a sampling of court records and media reports.
· In November 1990, Chapel Hill and Carrboro police conducted “Operation Ready-Rock.” Using a blanket search warrant to find suspected drug dealers on North Graham Street, 45 armed officers sealed off the street, smashed the front door of a pool hall and held occupants at gunpoint while they ransacked the bar for contraband. According to media reports, whites were allowed to leave the area, while more than 100 African Americans were searched. Only minor quantities of drugs were found. Participants in a class-action lawsuit won $200,000.
