Petition to Address Harassment and Overzealousness of the Police in Tryon, NC

Background:

Due to the overwhelming instances of not only residents of the town and local area of Tryon, but also visitors to the town being stopped, searched, followed out of town, going through excessive license checks, etc., we respectfully ask you to take into consideration the undersigned petitioners' request to review and adjust the Town of Tryon's policies and procedures regarding these excessive circumstances.

As you know, Tryon is heavily dependent upon tourism. We are a small town located off of the beaten interstate path.  Many have become fearful of coming into Tryon and this is adversely affecting our businesses.  Local merchants are experiencing a significant downturn in business traffic and their patrons are saying it’s because of the actions of our police.  These merchants  have worked hard to establish a stable customer base in order to revitalize this town only to be counteracted by overzealous public servants intimidating and harassing visitors and residents to the point of discouragement in supporting our local businesses. Keep in mind; these same merchants also contribute a significant portion to these servants’ salaries and Tryon’s overall budget.

Tryon’s reputation is at stake and the actions of the police are bordering in the public mind as harassment.  The sign on the edge of town states, “Welcome to the Friendliest Town in the South.”  If we are not going to live up to this commitment at the municipal level, the public face of our town, let’s take the signs down!

Objective:

We, the undersigned, request the town council, mayor, city manager, and police chief to review and adjust the actions/policies of the Tryon Police Department; we need policies and procedure that will support and enhance a welcoming experience for the local businesses, citizens and visitors to our town.