Out of concern for the actions of Charlottesville police last week near our building, the Board and the Interim Minister sent a letter to the Chief of Police Brackney requesting an apology for and end to racial profiling.

October 15, 2020

Chief Dr. RaShall M. Brackney
City of Charlottesville
PO Box 911
Charlottesville, Virginia 22902

Cc: Barracks/Rugby Neighborhood Association

Dear Chief Brackney:

On October 7th our church member and Chair of our Grounds Committee was walking up Rugby Road to participate in a work party to clean our playground.  Just as he reached the edge of the church property, a police car pulled up and the officer asked what he was doing in the neighborhood.  Within several minutes five police cars surrounded him.

A neighbor, who is a UVA student, called to say a black man was walking up the sidewalk in front of her house.

Police stated that they were concerned about recent break-ins in the neighborhood and they had a picture of a suspect.  The suspect looked nothing like our church member, other than both men are black.  Even after the police acknowledged that our member was not the suspect, they still demanded his Social Security number and identification.  One of the officers even suggested that he walk another way to church!

The police withdrew only when another church member, a white lady, concerned there may have been a traffic accident, walked over to investigate the situation.

The member in question is 68 years old.  He is quite distinguished looking. He is retired. He has had some significant health issues in recent years, and he walks to church regularly from the bus stop to work in the garden, planting flowers and vegetables.

He has faced discrimination for “walking while black” before, but this racial profiling and harassment must stop.

Your police department owes our member an apology.  He needs to feel safe in our church neighborhood.

Furthermore, our church will be hosting guests from PACEM during the month of November.  There will be more black men walking along Rugby Road next month.  They need to feel safe as well.

Sincerely,
Dr. Linda Olson Peebles, Interim Minister

Lorie Craddock, President
Elizabeth Breeden, Vice President
Beth Jaeger Landis, Secretary
Stan Walker, Treasurer
Kelsey Cowger, At-Large
Breck Gastinger, At-Large
Jim Gorham, At-Large
Pam McIntire, At Large
Liberty Powers, At-Large

Board of the Unitarian Universalists of Charlottesville