Rescheduled Public Safety Committee (Virtual) (Sep 24, 2026)

Public Safety Committee Recap: September 24, 2026

The City of Asheville Public Safety Committee held a virtual meeting on September 24, 2026, to review major public safety initiatives and recent event operations. The committee’s primary actions included the approval of previous meeting minutes and the review of three significant reports: the after-action review for the G20 and PGA events, an update on gun violence reduction strategies, and a status report on homelessness response efforts in West Asheville.

Key Decisions The committee’s only formal vote was to approve the minutes from the July 29, 2026 meeting. The motion was made and seconded by committee members and passed with a 3-0 vote. No other motions or formal decisions were recorded during the session.

G20 and PGA Event Security Assistant Fire Chief Jeremy Knighton and Patrol Captain Evan Coward presented an after-action report on the security operations for the G20 financial summit and the PGA Tour event. The report highlighted a collaborative effort involving more than 44 agencies, including federal partners such as the FBI, SBI, and ATF. The Emergency Operations Center was activated for four 24-hour periods and one 12-hour period to coordinate the response. While the events saw 15 drone flight violations and four instances of unauthorized entry onto the resort property, all were intercepted by police or checkpoint teams. Captain Coward described the events as an "overall success," citing the critical support of city departments like Public Works and IT.

Gun Violence Reduction and Crime Data Interim Police Chief Jackie Stepp and Deputy Chief Sean Aardema provided a data-driven update on the city’s gun violence reduction strategies. They reported that overall violent crime incidents year-to-date are down 33% from the 2021–2024 average, marking the lowest level in over five years. Firearm-related homicides are also down 43% from the four-year average. The update highlighted a new Violent Crime Summit initiated by U.S. Attorney Russ Ferguson, which brought together multiple federal, state, and local partners. Additionally, the department is entering a partnership with the Department of Juvenile Justice to manage juvenile placement and is working with the University of Chicago Crime Lab to implement evidence-informed strategies. Deputy Chief Aardema noted that the city is "a safer place today than it has been in the last five years."

West Asheville Homelessness and Safe Shelter Emily Ball, Homeless Strategies Division Manager, and Christian Chambers, Executive Director of Safe Shelter, presented on the West Asheville Street Engagement (WASE) program. The team reported 550 meaningful engagements with over 100 individuals, noting a significant shift in outcomes: the percentage of clients who were unsheltered at first contact dropped from 81% to 35% at case closure. Ms. Ball emphasized that the "rate limiting factor" for successful exits from homelessness is the availability of beds. Lieutenant Fortenberry of the Asheville Fire Department’s REST team and Captain Coward of the Asheville Police Department discussed the integration of REST units and increased proactive policing along the Haywood Road corridor to support these efforts.

Community Input One member of the public, a West Asheville resident, spoke during the public comment period. The resident thanked Safe Shelter and the AFD REST team but raised concerns regarding the city’s $7.4 million Axon contract. The commenter stated that the city had withheld Axon’s quote as a trade secret despite state statutes permitting disclosure, and noted that three previous requests to release the quote with prices redacted had gone unanswered. The resident asked the committee to direct the City Manager to publish the Axon quotes and to ensure that the City Manager’s review of Flock and other Automatic License Plate Reader (ALPR) use includes public transparency and community input. No committee member responded to the comment or acted on the request.

Follow-ups and Next Steps Several staff members agreed to provide additional information to the committee in the future. Chief Stepp agreed to provide demographic information regarding domestic violence incidents. Lieutenant Fortenberry indicated he would provide specific data on REST team coverage needs and seasonal variations to assist with future budget planning. Additionally, Lieutenant Fortenberry offered to help facilitate a "direct admit" process for psychiatric hospitals, which would bypass the emergency room, noting that such a process would be a "game changer" for the REST team.