ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — After a raucous Asheville City Council meeting Tuesday night that stretched late into the evening and kept residents waiting nearly six hours to speak, council members approved a package tied to a proposed real-time intelligence center for the Asheville Police Department.
The measures included adoption of a resolution reaffirming civil liberties protections in the use of public-facing cameras, license plate readers and a real-time intelligence center; authorization for the city manager to accept a $1.14 million federal Community Project Funding award secured through Rep. Chuck Edwards’ office and administered by the U.S. Department of Justice; and a budget amendment to the city’s Special Revenue Fund.
The vote came after hours of emotional testimony, technical presentations and repeated calls from residents to delay the decision until a full contract was available for public review.
Long wait, tight rules and rising tension
Public comment stretched to roughly an hour, with more than 20 speakers left unheard when the comment period closed. Many residents had waited more than five hours to address council.
Before testimony began, city officials reminded attendees that the meeting was being recorded and that disruptions could affect the public record.
“We want it to be on the public record and it’s all videotape,” one official said. “If there’s noise and snapping, the people listening and the record might get muted. I really want all of what you have to say to be counted.”
Officials also reiterated chamber rules requiring decorum, including no clapping or shouting.
Despite that, emotions ran high as speakers expressed frustration over the substance of the proposal and the process used to advance it.
Chief frames system as emergency-response tool
Interim Police Chief Jackie Stepp delivered a lengthy presentation describing the proposal as a real-time intelligence system designed to help officers respond faster to emergencies and improve investigative efficiency.
Stepp said officers are working under staffing shortages and fragmented information systems that slow down response times and limit situational awareness.
“This is about improving emergency response, investigative efficiency, transparency and officer accountability,” she said.
The proposed system would combine a physical real-time intelligence center with software known as FUSIUS, integrating data from body cameras, vehicle cameras and participating private or public cameras.
Stepp emphasized the system would not use facial recognition or provide unrestricted surveillance access, saying it would be “incident-driven” and governed by audit logs and retention policies.
She also cited multiple past local cases where video and license plate data helped solve or clarify violent crimes, arguing that real-time access to information could improve outcomes and prevent delays in critical moments.
“Time is often the difference between life and death,” Stepp said.
Supporters cite safety, accountability and evidence collection
Supporters, including law enforcement and prosecutors in letters read into the record, argued that real-time systems improve case resolution, help identify suspects and provide objective evidence for courts.
A letter from prosecutors described video evidence as increasingly expected in criminal proceedings, comparing it to DNA in its evidentiary importance.
The system, supporters said, could also reduce reliance on witness testimony in cases where fear or trauma prevents cooperation.
Residents raise surveillance and civil liberties concerns
Opponents filled the chambers for hours, many warning that the system represents an expansion of government surveillance with long-term consequences.
Some speakers described the proposal as a “panopticon” or compared it to authoritarian surveillance systems.
“I don’t believe or trust our local government won’t be compromised at some point to participate with ICE or infringe on our future rights,” one speaker said. “Who are you aligning with as you collect data on your citizens?”
Others argued that safety should come through housing, health care and economic investment rather than surveillance infrastructure.
“Big Brother is never the answer,” one speaker said. “Lasting safety is systemic. It is built from the bottom up.”
A technologist who spoke during the meeting warned that metadata collected by such systems could be used to build behavioral profiles of residents and officers, and questioned how data might be accessed by outside entities, including federal agencies.
Several speakers also questioned the role of federal funding and the involvement of Rep. Chuck Edwards in securing the grant.
Concerns over process and timing
Multiple residents criticized the timing of the vote and the lack of a finalized contract at the time of approval, arguing council was being asked to commit to a long-term system without full public visibility into terms and conditions.
Others said the process limited meaningful public engagement, with some describing the meeting as “rushed” or “designed to minimize participation.”
One resident said, “We need town halls before we install this tooling, not after.”
Another added, “What we have is trust, and this breaks that trust.”
Council proceeds despite objections
After public comment closed, council moved forward with the vote. Council member Kim Roney opposed the measure, citing concerns raised by civil liberties organizations and community members.
Council approved the funding and related resolutions, advancing the project despite continued objections from residents in attendance.
What comes next
The proposal would establish a centralized real-time intelligence center intended to integrate multiple streams of law enforcement data into a single operational hub.
Police officials said they plan continued public engagement through town halls, neighborhood meetings and future tours of the facility.
Stepp said the department’s goal is to build trust over time.
“Trust will not be assumed,” she said. “It will be demonstrated.”