Press release from Asheville Police Department
The Asheville Police Department is partnering with Lights On!, a community-driven program with the mission to foster relationships between communities and law enforcement agencies by providing vouchers instead of citations on certain traffic stops.
“Under the program, our officers can provide a voucher up to $250 for free repairs for lighting defects with the vehicle rather than citing the driver,” said Chief David Zack, Asheville Police Department. “This could be anything from a burned-out light bulb to a broken tail light, and it allows our officers to provide a public service, while still promoting public safety. I’m also glad to announce that Asheville is the first city in the state of North Carolina to partner with Lights On!”
Sherman Patterson, Vice President, Lights On!, said he is excited that Asheville is partnering with them, noting, “We are not the be-all solution, but it’s a tool for the tool belt for the officers.” He looks forward to the program’s expansion elsewhere in the state, which began in 2017 in Minnesota and expanded nationwide in 2020.
“The Lights On! program is a way to build relationships between police departments and the communities they serve,” said Don Samuels, CEO of Lights On!. “Instead of punishing drivers for broken lights, we can fix the mechanical issue and mitigate what often becomes a downward spiral for community members in need.”
Vice Mayor Sheneika Smith, City of Asheville, also emphasized the relationship-building that comes with the program.
“Beyond the effort to strengthen community policing and trust, “Lights On!” directly addresses issues within our justice system that often create debt traps for motorists who are unable to pay citations, fines and fees,” she said. “The cycle of legal system debt adds additional layers of mistrust between law enforcement and the community, so the practice of handing out vouchers instead of tickets will have more community benefits than most can imagine.”
Chief Zack further said, “We are very excited that we are finally at the stage where we can launch Lights On! with the hope and primary goal of bringing our community, our police department, and our business community closer together in working towards solutions. Every call you go on, every car stop you make, every citizen encounter you make leaves an impact. That’s what is most important, those daily encounters.”
He emphasized that the future success of this program will largely depend on private donations, not taxpayer dollars. Lights On! is supported by community in-kind and financial donations.
“These vouchers are more than a piece of paper,” said Marcus Kirkman, Training Consultant, Equity & Inclusion, City of Asheville. “They are a reminder of the shared humanity and impact we can have on an individual’s life when we extend kindness. We celebrate this moment, we are excited about it, and our lights are on in Asheville.”
Asheville is pleased to partner with the following business for the Lights On! program:
- Jack Smith’s Transmission & Automotive Service, 240 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC 28801
o Will take appointments for Mon-Thurs, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call (828) 252-4792About Lights On!
Lights On! is a community-driven program which offers repair vouchers instead of traffic tickets for participating law enforcement agencies and communities they serve. The program was founded in 2017 after the unnecessary death of Philando Castile as a solution to a small problem that has a significant community impact. Officers can provide drivers with Lights On! vouchers redeemable for free repairs of broken lights at partnered auto shops. The vouchers reduce the financial burden that could lead to a potential downward spiral for community members in need as well as creates a positive interaction between drivers and officers, to rebuild trust. Lights On! was created by Don Samuels, founder of MicroGrants, a non-profit dedicated to providing people of potential with grants that spur economic stability by bridging the gap between their current state and a more successful future. For more information, visit LightsOnUS.org and follow Lights On! on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
This seems to be a step in the right direction for community building. I also urge the City to consider implementing a Koban-style auxillary police force as used in Japan. These unarmed but well-trained officers are strategically placed around town (parks, downtown hot spots) and foster good will and even serve as ambassadors to visitors. Koban officers are pro-active and have proven to mitigate a great many unlawful activities. I’m told that funds were approved years ago for tourism ambassadors, so perhaps this is the logical synergistic solution that could help/inspire our community and law enforcement to join forces for Good. BCTDA, wanna help?