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Community leaders look for change in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE — Hundreds of community leaders have been promising to take a harder look at the problems of race, police relations and justice after the protests and turmoil in Charlotte last week, sparked from the police shooting death of Keith Scott.

More than 200 community leaders, from banking executives to pastors, have signed a commitment to work for justice and fairness in Charlotte.

No Grease barbershop owner Damian Johnson is one of those leaders looking for a change.

“It has been a troubling week, but the good thing that has come out of it is people have actually come together and started looking for solutions,” Johnson said.

Local NAACP head Corine Mack has a list of specific changes she'd like to see made by city leaders, from making the city's civil service and citizen review boards more effective, to passing House Bill 193, an anti-profiling measure that state legislators have yet to vote on.

Channel 9 was there as she walked into Charlotte-Mecklenburg police headquarters and gave her list of demands to police chief Kerr Putney.

She's also calling for Charlotte City Council to redirect funds to make sure all officers receive the required training.

“This city can be absolutely great, because we have the ability to do those things that need to be done,” Mack said. “But we have to do those things.”

Myers Park Methodist Church Pastor James Howell, who's been leading community conversations discussions for years, said Charlotte now needs more of those discussions.

"It's not going to happen with big names signing a document, or having a meeting or two," Howell said.
"Just a lot of people across Charlotte have got to befriend some people they do not know, and develop a public will to say, 'We're going to be different.'"

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