Do Greenville Police Officers use racial profiling? It's a question that's been a hot topic ever since the arrest of City Councilwoman Kandie Smith last month.

Monday night the NAACP held a forum in Greenville to discuss alleged police misconduct, and Ms. Smith was there along with dozens of others.

One by one, Pitt County residents lined up at the Lucille Gorham Inter-Generational Center to speak out about alleged racial profiling and police misconduct.

Organized by the NAACP, the UNC Center for Civil Rights, and the Southern Coalition for Social Justice, it was a chance for residents to present their concerns to a hearing panel comprised of lawyers, so a written report can be established and statistical arrest records can be pulled on the Greenville Police Department.

While Kandie Smith was in attendance, she did not speak during the comment period allotted for Pitt County residents. Not in attendance was Greenville Police Chief William Anderson.

The NAACP and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference have previously asked for the Chief's resignation in the wake of Smith's arrest.

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The North Carolina NAACP is holding a public hearing Monday in Greenville to discuss alleged police misconduct, excessive force and racial profiling.

The NAACP announced the forum earlier this month after the arrest of Greenville city councilwoman Kandie Smith.

The group, along with the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, asked for the resignation of Police Chief William Anderson, who is black. Smith said in a later statement that the two groups do not speak for her and she is not advocating the chief's removal.

Smith was arrested June 6th in the parking lot of a Greenville convenience store for trespassing and resisting arrest when police say she failed to follow an officer's directive and to leave.

A press release was sent by Reverend William Barber II, president of the NC NCAAP, and Amina Turner, the group's executive director, about Monday night's civil rights forum in Greenville.

The press release is below.

NAACP Press Release:

The NC State Conference of the NAACP along with the Southern Coalition for Social Justice and the UNC Center for Civil Rights will conduct a public hearing for Eastern North Carolina to receive public comment on police misconduct, excessive force and racial profiling.

It will be held on Monday, June 28 at 7:00pm at the Lucille Gorham Intergenerational Center located at 1100 Ward Street in West Greenville.

Persons or youth who are 18 years and younger and have experienced an incident of excessive force or police misconduct must present with an adult. All speakers must sign in before speaking.

Through its Law Enforcement Accountability project, the NAACP has developed a “smart and safe” framework in which to advocate for equal justice and safer communities. This hearing is an effort to receive live reports of incidents and allegations and to collect statistical data from the region.

NAACP strongly believes that all communities seek a fair and just administration and enforcement of the law, and that all communities, irrespective of race, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age or religion have a right to be safe. A report released by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and The Rights Working Group indicated that, “racial and ethnic profiling by members of law enforcement at federal, state and local levels is one of today's most significant challenges to equality.”

State NAACP President, Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, remarked, “Our goal in advocating for justice in the criminal justice system is to eliminate disparate treatment of African-Americans and other minorities in all aspects of law enforcement and criminal justice. As the oldest civil rights organization in the nation, we are mandated to stay informed of issues that occur in our communities, and investigate and then working with key stakeholders such as civic leadership the faith community, and other organizations to ensure that law enforcement is just and fair in both administration of justice and the enforcement of the law.”

End Of Release