On the downtown beat

Black Mountain Police Department assigns foot patrol to central business district

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
July 28, 2021

Officer Brad DeMuth patrols downtown Black Mountain on foot in a new BMPD position, intended to increase communication with local businesses. Photo by Fred McCormick

As officer Brad DeMuth stepped out of his patrol car on Sutton Avenue, July 26, he wasn’t responding to a call for service, but there was plenty of old-fashioned police work to be done as he began his first day on his new beat. 

DeMuth will soon become a familiar face downtown, an area he will patrol on foot during business hours in a role created by the Black Mountain Police Department to strengthen bonds with local business owners. 

Establishing a full-time patrol to function as a liaison between merchants in the central business district and the BMPD has long been a priority for Chief Shawn Freeman, who will retire at the end of the month. 

“Adding this position to the department is exciting because it’s another step toward community policing that I’ve been working on since I’ve been here,” he said. “We’ve made it a goal to get to know the people in this community better, and that includes the people who own and operate the local businesses.”

The department consolidated a pair of part-time positions to create the shift, which will allow DeMuth to familiarize himself with the needs of the community and serve as a point of contact for businesses. He will also maintain a presence around local schools when classes begin in the fall. The four-year law enforcement veteran, who has been with the BMPD since July of 2020, was drawn to the role by his interest in community policing. 

“Black Mountain has that small town Mayberry feel to it,” DeMuth said. “I believe in some old school principles of policing, like your authority comes from the approval of the public. So, getting in there and working one-on-one with business owners and stakeholders in the town goes a long way towards establishing a meaningful connection.”

One of his first goals is to introduce himself to the merchants. 

“I want to be on a first-name basis with the people who are down here everyday,” he said. “Also, this is one of the most highly trafficked areas in town, and being on foot, I’ll be visible for tourists who have a question or concern.”

Fostering open communication between local law enforcement and the downtown community will allow the department to proactively address potential issues, according to DeMuth. 

“My main focus isn’t about stopping cars and responding to calls for service, although it is my responsibility to enforce the law,” he said. “But, my main goal is to understand the heartbeat or pulse of this part of town, and help make sure the department is in touch with that.”

BMPD will issue DeMuth a phone, which can be used by local businesses to contact the officer for non-emergencies. Currently, he can be reached by email at brad.demuth@townofblackmountain.org. 

“I’m pretty extroverted, so I enjoy interacting with people,” DeMuth said. “Generally speaking, when law enforcement deals with the public, it’s often during one of the worst times of someone’s life. This is an opportunity for me to really get to know the people we protect, and I’m looking forward to that.”