The Morrisville Police Department is committed to creating a safe and equitable community for all people who live, work, and play within the Town. We recognize the responsibility that we have to ensure that every member of the Morrisville community feels safe and encouraged to rely upon us as a mechanism for justice and protection from harm.

Equity, inclusion, diversity, and transparency are essential to the department’s daily operations and training practices. As such, our department has invested in extensive training for our officers, advanced technology, and proactive policies that promote and protect racial equity across all our law enforcement practices. Read our Reiteration of Policy Statements Related to Campaign Zero Research and Project "8 Can't Wait," and learn more about the specific steps we have taken below:

The Morrisville Police Department is committed to providing training that is consistent with the curriculum issued by the N.C. Department of Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission. Officers are required to train annually in order to maintain their law enforcement certification.

In addition, our agency utilizes reality-based training as a supplement to the standard use-of-force curriculum. This training relies heavily on real-world scenarios that challenge officers to make split-second decisions when faced with the unknown. We use role playing and simulations to conduct reality-based training. Role playing incorporates the use of non-lethal training ammunition, providing each officer with the ability to de-escalate or change their tactical approach. Both types of training are found to be effective.

Morrisville Police officers train annually on Subject Control and Arrest Techniques (SCAT). The goal is to quickly and safely gain control of a non-compliant suspect without injury to the suspect or officer. Our officers have never, and will never, be instructed to utilize techniques that involve choking (in any manner) or holds for compliance that involve any form of strangulation. These techniques are prohibited by policy and deemed as deadly force. Furthermore, officers are trained and required to render aid.

Funding was approved by Town Council in the FY20 budget to purchase body-worn cameras for Morrisville Police officers. After a rigorous test and evaluation process, this body-worn camera program is fully operational. These body-worn cameras integrate seamlessly with our current in-car camera systems.

Do officers have body cameras?

Funding was approved by Town Council in the FY20 budget to purchase body-worn cameras for Morrisville Police officers. After a rigorous test and evaluation process, this body-worn camera program is fully operational. These body-worn cameras integrate seamlessly with our current in-car camera systems.

In 2023 the Morrisville Police Department received a grant which will allow us to purchase updated body-warn cameras as well as update our video storage from a server to cloud base. These upgrades are designed to enhance our transparency to the community. 

Since 1999, all state law enforcement agencies are required to submit traffic stop data. Internally, we maintain specific policies and procedures to prevent racial profiling, and we track and conduct annual audits of traffic stops and cross-reference them to any citizen complaints or administrative investigations. Professional Standards will conduct follow-ups with any officer that displays an obvious pattern for stopping one particular race or ethnicity of driver. You can research traffic stop data on the SBI's website.

Our department also provides annual bias-based policing training that focuses on implicit and explicit bias, strategies to improve law enforcement interactions and relationships with minority youth, and equality in policing. Our training staff have been integral in identifying in-person training opportunities that focus specifically on diversity, inclusion, and critical conversations with members of the Morrisville community.

The Chief of Police, an executive staff member, and team members of all ranks participate in the interview process of all candidates with the Morrisville Police Department. The interview process is designed to find out who they are, their views on police work, and what positive contributions they have made to the community during their time as officers and assess their level of empathy. If the applicant is selected to move forward in the process, an extensive background check is conducted. Any unethical conduct disqualifies the candidate. The Morrisville Police Department takes pride in knowing that we are hiring officers that truly want to be engaged with our entire community.

Our staff is committed to being transparent and prompt in all responses to complaints or concerns from the community. Staff responds to questions or concerns generally within hours after receipt. When a complaint is received, staff ensures that the complainant receives confirmation of receipt, as well as a timeline for completion of their investigation. Every complaint received is investigated thoroughly and free of bias.

Our officers participate in monthly Barbershop Rap Sessions held at Headliner’s Barbershop in Cary. The sessions are open to the public and designed to encourage genuine conversation on a wide range of topics that affect all of us. Most specifically, these topics often focus on law enforcement’s relationship with our diverse communities of color. The Morrisville Police Department seeks to implement proactive strategies that engage our community and our youth.

Each year, we also host programs like Coffee with a Cop, Cocoa with a Cop, National Night Out, and various community forums. Police officers also visit our schools to foster a positive relationship with local youth.