Durham City Council meetings
Upcoming City Council Meetings will be held on Mondays, October 1 and 15, and November 5, at 7pm, at City Hall (101 City Hall Plz). City Council Work Sessions will be held on Thursdays, October 4 and 18 at 1pm.
Big grant for the Criminal Justice Resource Center
The US Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance for Improving Reentry for Adults with Co-occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Illness has awarded a $749,000 grant to Durham County’s Criminal Justice Resource Center (326 E Main St). A 3-year program will be set up to provide standardized screening and assessment, to work in partnership with local organizations to provide collaborative comprehensive case management, and to work with individuals both before and after release from prison to help guide them toward a successful life and away from crime, substance abuse, and despair. Click here to learn more about the CJRC and its programs and services.
Help protect the kids
Many of us are still reeling from the aftermath of the Parkland, Florida school shooting. And many of us want to do something, but don’t know where to go or how to help. If you’re interested in demanding common-sense gun legislation, watch my interview with Jessica Hulick from Moms Demand Action.
Alert: Sneaky phone scam
Some bad guys out there are posing as Durham Police Department officers and scamming local residents. They are calling people and demanding payments for warrants or unpaid fines. What should send up a red flag is the fact that these “officers” are directing people to send the payments to an account. That’s not how the system works, but not everyone knows this. A phone number starting with the familiar “560” fools people, but the criminals are simply using spoofing software to make you think you’re getting a call from the police (or other City of Durham personnel). If you receive a phone call like this, just hang up. No one from the City should ever be calling residents asking for personal information or demanding payments. But if you have information that could lead to an arrest, please contact the Durham Police Department’s Fraud Unit at 919-560-4440.
Durham Police 2nd-quarter report
The Durham Police Department released its 2018 Second-Quarter Report. Read it below:
Mobile Justice smartphone app
There’s a new smartphone app called Mobile Justice NC that you can use to monitor and record police actions. We have the right to film the police, but always have your safety in mind when doing so. If an officer says that you’re in the way and tells you to get back, that might not the time to stand your ground and to tell him or her that you’re acting within your rights. Learn how to use the zoom-in feature so you can step out of the way and continue filming.
If you’re an activist or member of the media, download this free app and get familiar with Mobile Justice NC’s four features now (as opposed to during the heat of a protest or police action):
Click here to watch a short but in-depth explainer on how the app works: (O clique aquí para más information sobre el app Justícia Móvil en español.) Durham Police Department Citizen’s Complaint Form
You can make a formal complaint online by filling out the blanks of this form and sending it in. Click here for instructions and to fill out the Durham Police Department Citizen’s Complaint Form.
Durham Police Department Commendation Form
You can also single out an officer who went out of his or her way to be helpful/come to your aid. Click here for instructions and to fill out the Durham Police Department Commendation Form.
ACLU interview
Mike Meno, communications director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s North Carolina office, was a recent guest on TV Skywriter. Learn more about the ACLU work at www.acluofnc.org.
NC Lawyer Referral Service
The North Carolina Bar Association can help you find an attorney to represent you. Lawyer Referral Service (LRS) attorneys can’t charge more than $50 for initial consultation meetings of up to 30 minutes. None are able to take clients on a pro bono (free) basis. Visit ncfindalawyer.org or call 800-662-7660 (or 919-677-8574 if you’re out of state).
NC SAVAN
Crime victims and survivors often feel like they’re sitting on pins and needles while waiting to hear about upcoming trials and to get news on the status of perpetrators. NC SAVAN (North Carolina Statewide Automated Victim Assistance and Notification) is set up to keep them informed. A 24-hour, toll-free telephone number, 877-627-2826, is available for learning about an offender’s status and about victim-assistance resources. You can also call that number to register for the automated victim notification service. Once you’re registered, you can choose whether to get updates via automated telephone messages or emails; you can also download an app for your smart phone. Notifications can be delivered in English or Spanish, or you can have them translated into one of more than 100 available languages.
Click here to register for NC SAVAN or to search for offender information. |
Durham Police Department info
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