By Amanda Raymond
amanda.raymond@salisburypost.com

SALISBURY – A local group will be circulating a petition to gain support for banning no-knock warrants in the city.

The Women for Justice in Law Enforcement and Community Peace, a women’s group diverse in race, age, ethnic background and political affiliation, is the group behind the petition. The group has been meeting since August.

The Salisbury Police Department used a no-knock warrant to enter a residence at 625 E. Layfayette St. on Nov. 3. According to Police Chief Jerry Stokes, Ferguson Claude Laurent Jr., a 22-year-old black man, shot once at police and Officer Karl Boehm, a member of the Special Response Team, fired back twice.

Laurent later died at Novant Rowan Medical Center.

According to the document, the petition aims to preserve lives and the Fourth Amendment rights of Salisbury citizens. The Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects citizens against unreasonable searches and seizures.

There are specific actions being petitioned for, including the immediate suspension of no-knock warrants in the city, recruitment of police officers that represent the racial, cultural, ethnic and linguistic demographics of the city and emphasis placed on community policing. Another action being called for is the prioritization and allocation of funds in the city’s budget to increase staff in the police department and provide training in de-escalation, cultural and ethnic sensitivity, racial and social bias and diversity.

Al Heggins, member of the group, said the petition was an idea of one of the women in the group and they all worked together to craft the document.

She said the petition is about saving lives.

“We’ve seen the death of a young man and we just don’t want to see that again,” she said.

She was also afraid that the use of no-knock warrants in predominately African-American neighborhoods might become a trend.

At the last City Council meeting, city attorney Rivers Lawther said that although it is unusual for councils to do so, the council can direct the city manager to tell the police chief that the city does not allow no-knock warrants.

The council said it would discuss the option in more detail in future.

Heggins said the petition may go through a few more tweaks, but the women will soon circulate the petition to their respective networks. They will present the petition to the City Council.

Contact reporter Amanda Raymond at 704-797-4222.