Greensboro Won't Require Written Consent Before Police Searches

Greensboro officials have rejected a proposal that would have required police to obtain written consent before conducting searches. 

A divided City Council on Tuesday decided that procedures in place already ensure that incidents are well-documented, and backed off a proposal requiring written consent before searching a person, car, or property.

The News & Record reports that in a 5-4 vote, the council instead decided to require officers to videotape all encounters with body-worn cameras and fill out an incident report.

Police will also be required to provide a standardized explanation of a person's rights before conducting a search.

In explaining why she voted against the proposal to obtain written consent, Mayor Nancy Vaughan said it would represent a step backward at a time when police encounters can already be captured on video.

Proponents had argued that written-consent procedures gave people more options and protections when faced with a police search.

Council members also discussed a future resolution that endorses changes in the department's “use-of-force” policies in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of Minneapolis police officers.