Carrboro residents reject police merger plan

Carrboro Town Manager Patrice Toney presented a plan to merge the local police department with the Chapel Hill Police Department on Thursday. More than 100 residents attended the community meeting to hear the proposal. The town is considering the consolidation to address budget pressures and rising costs.

Toney outlined a timeline for the merger that spans at least five years under an interlocal agreement. The Carrboro Police Department currently employs 28 officers. These officers would transition into the Chapel Hill force through a series of phases. Toney stated that the changes would not increase emergency response times or result in layoffs.

The town would continue to fund police services under the new structure. Toney argued that the merger would save the town millions of dollars over the long term. A name for the unified department has not been decided. The specific details of the financial savings were part of the presentation to the public.

Dozens of speakers opposed the plan during the public comment period. One resident described the proposal as a purge rather than a merge. Another resident emphasized that Carrboro is different from Chapel Hill. Concerns about the town's identity and public safety were central to the discussion.

Accountability was a recurring topic among attendees. Residents asked how they would hold officers answerable under a combined force. Toney said the town's attorneys would work on an agreement that includes accountability reporting and response time metrics. She noted these elements would be built into the interlocal agreement.

Residents also questioned how the proposal became public. Word of the possible merger circulated on social media earlier this month. This happened before the town council was briefed. Toney said she did not know how the information leaked ahead of her presentation to the council.

Carrboro Mayor Barbara Foushee attended the meeting along with at least three town council members. After the session, Foushee suggested a more gradual approach. She said she might start with a step up from the current mutual aid agreement instead of a full merger. The town will share more information with the public before the council votes on November 10.