Charlotte City Council to discuss exclusion zones Wednesday

The Charlotte City Council’s public safety committee will discuss Wednesday whether to create “Public Safety Zones,” which could allow police to prohibit people who have been arrested to enter.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police have been researching whether the safety zones would be constitutional and how they might be implemented. It’s unclear whether council members will approve the controversial idea, which has been touted as a way to disperse and reduce crime.

The safety zones, or exclusion zones, would be created by the police chief. They would likely be located in high-crime areas.

A person arrested inside the zone could be barred from returning for up to a year. The police have said that person could have the ability to appeal on the grounds they are taking care of a relative or are working inside the zone.

Charlotte has said the zones could be similar to a 2005 prostitution-free zone that was created for the Camp Greene neighborhood.

Council member Claire Fallon, chairwoman of the committee, has said she is concerned about the legality of the zones.

The North Carolina branch of the American Civil Liberties Union in Raleigh said Tuesday that the concept of safety zones is “problematic.”

Council members will discuss the issue at noon Wednesday at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center, 600 E. Fourth St.

This story was originally published November 17, 2015 at 2:52 PM with the headline "Charlotte City Council to discuss exclusion zones Wednesday."